Affordability
How would you rate the affordability of a trip to your hometown ballpark?
Best: Royals - Kauffman Stadium
Worst: Red Sox - Fenway Park
US Cellular Field: 18
Wrigley Field: 27
(also included was not a question but a ranking of where ticket prices at the park compare throughout the league. The average cost for a ticket according to "Team Marketing Report, 2008" is $25.43
Best: Diamondbacks - Chase Field - Avg Price $15.96 - Increase From 2007 15.7%
Worst: Red Sox - Fenway Park - Avg Price $48.80 - Increase From 2007 10.1%
US Cellular Field: 26 - Avg Price $30.28 - Increase From 2007 5.2%
Wrigley Field: 29 - Avg Price $42.49 - Increase From 2007 23.9%)

Food
How would you rate the food at the ballpark?
How would you rate the cost of food and beverages at the ballpark?
Best: Brewers - Miller Park
Worst: Mets - Shea Stadium
US Cellular Field: 2
Wrigley Field: 22
(also included in the survey are selected resonses to "What is the must-have food item offered at the ballpark and what makes it so good?")

Team Quality
How would you rate the quality of the product currently being put on the field by the hometown team?
Best: Tigers - Comerica Park
Worst: Pirates - PNC Park
US Cellular Field: 17
Wrigley Field: 12
(also included in the survey are selected resonses to "Which player on your team is the most worth paying to watch?")

History & Tradition
How would you rate the sense of tradition and history at the ballpark?
Best: Red Sox - Fenway Park
Worst: Marlins - Dolphin Stadium
US Cellular Field: 15
Wrigley Field: 3

Ballpark Atmosphere
How would you rate the atmosphere at the game?
How would you rate the level of personal comfort when you are sitting in your seat?
Best: Mariners - Safeco Field
Worst: Marlins - Dolphin Stadium
US Cellular Field: 8
Wrigley Field: 6

Fan Intelligence
How would you rate the "baseball intelligence" of the home fans?
Best: Cardinals - Busch Stadium III
Worst: Marlins - Dolphin Stadium
US Cellular Field: 4
Wrigley Field: 8

Fan Hospitality
How would you rate the hospitality offered to fans of the opposing team?
Best: Cardinals - Busch Stadium III
Worst: Phillies - Citizens Bank Park
US Cellular Field: 23
Wrigley Field: 24
(also included in the survey are selected resonses to "What is the worst incident you've witnessed against an opposing fan or yourself?")

Promotions
How would you rate the quality of the promotions/giveaways offered by the home team?
Best: Brewers - Miller Park
Worst: Red Sox - Fenway Park
US Cellular Field: 4
Wrigley Field: 16
(also included in the survey are selected resonses to "What is the best promotion/giveaway your team has offered? What is the worst? What is a promotion you'd like to see?")

Getting To The Game
How would you rate the traffic to and from the ballpark?
How would you rate the parking availability/cost at the ballpark?
How would you rate the public transportation options to and from the ballpark?
Best: White Sox - US Cellular Field ???? !!!!
Worst: Dodgers - Dodger Stadium
US Cellular Field: 1
Wrigley Field: 23

Neighborhood
How would you rate the dining and drinking options within walking distance of the ballpark?
Best: Padres - Petco Park
Worst: Marlins - Dolphin Stadium
US Cellular Field: 23
Wrigley Field: 2

So, the overall rankings were:

1. Indians - Progressive Field
2. Brewers - Miller Park
3. Pirates - PNC Park
4. Tigers - Comerica Park
5. Cardinals - Busch Stadium III
6. Mariners - Safeco Field
7. Rockies - Coors Field
8. White Sox - US Cellular Field
9. Angels - Angel Stadium of Anaheim
10. Phillies - Citizens Bank Park
11. Padres - Petco Park
12. Royals - Kauffman Stadium
13. Reds - Great American Ballpark
14. Orioles - Oriole Park at Camden Yards
15. Cubs - Wrigley Field
16. Astros - Minute Maid Park
17. Giants - AT&T Park
18. Blue Jays - Rogers Centre
19. Braves - Turner Field
20. Yankees - Yankee Stadium
21. Red Sox - Fenway Park
22. Dodgers - Dodger Stadium
23. Athletics - McAfee Coliseum
24. Rays - Tropicana Field
25. Diamondbacks - Chase Field
26. Twins - Metrodome
27. Rangers - Rangers Park in Arlington
28. Mets - Shea Stadium
29. Nationals - RFK Stadium
30. Marlins - Dolphin Stadium

Miscellaneous items first:

The Allstate Arena got a new scoreboard! It looks just slightly larger than the old one, but it has new displays in each corner of the board, plus a small display above the main display to show advertising and then a large ring below where they could scroll messages and graphics around. It's like a real step-up in class for the place.

Went to customer service and got our Season Ticketholder gift which this year is a mini wolves helmet with Darren Haydar's autograph mounted on a base. I expected an actual mini helmet, but this feels like it was made out of the same material (whatever it is) that they make the bobbleheads out of, and it's painted the maroon color of the team - which is not the color of any of the helmets that the team actually wears. Shockingly, this is actually a pretty classy item for the Wolves.

Oh... it's Wednesday, so it's Hungry Hungry Hump Day... tonight's eating contest during the first intermission: donuts.

And now for the pain...

Tied 1-1, the teams struggle into overtime...

Toward the very end of overtime, we're struggling at the Moose net. I can't remember what I saw, but I think it was a Moose tripping a Wolves player. We were controlling the puck, so there's a delayed penalty call. Ondrej Pavelec gets pulled out of the net for an extra attacker. With 56 seconds left in overtime, Steve Martins gets the puck near the net, gets tied-up in traffic so he passes the puck...

... to nobody.

It sails all the way down the ice... into our net. Game over - we score the winning goal for the Moose.

Our well-fought seven-game win streak is snapped.

So, the goal can't be credited to a Wolves player - it has to be credited to the player that last touched the puck: Manitoba's goaltender Drew MacIntyre, marking just the ninth time in the history of the American Hockey League that a netminder has been credited with a goal.

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

A good, but not stellar attendance tonight - 9,431. Nothing much to say about the game itself... but it's your typical Saturday night group outings night again, this time with little kids next to Carol... who ALMOST tolerated them well.. and actually said civil words to one or two during the game...

...oh, and there was one of the Wolves' Post Game Skate parties. We stuck around so that I could take some pictures. One of the first girls to go on the ice fell and hit her head pretty bad. I don't think see ever made it out onto the ice.

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Wow ... what an odd game...

First, this is starting to feel like it's turning into a real rivalry. Rockford is pretty physical. They're fast, and every hit just seems to have a little more to it.

The attendance was 11,419, but it felt bigger than that 12,022 2 weeks ago, but that's paid and I knew that there weren't that many because of the cold. Of course, a lot of groups... I got awfully pissed at the guy next to Carol that snatched a Chipotle Stress Ball right out of the air that was coming right at me during the pre-game... I mean REALLY pissed... I don't even come up to his shoulders and he reached in front of Carol to do it... I was robbed...

I'm not used to a team that doesn't shoot all that much. I remember games where we actually had 60 shots for a game just a season ago. In the 1st Period tonight, the Wolves had 3 shots. Now, on the plus side - we had 2 goals on those 3 shots (we both wound up with 27 shots for the night).

We were up 3-2 toward the end of the game. With 4.3 seconds left, Alexandre Giroux had a Power Play goal. (The Power Play was because Rockford pulled their goalie to add a man.. and somehow they eventually wound up with too many men on the ice)

After that, I'm not really sure what happened. I wasn't paying attention... I remember the goal... the teams were skating back to the bench to change lines... i looked away...

... Next thing I know, the benches are fighting... somebody from Rockford reached around the partition that separates the benches and hit one of our guys in the face... the officials are trying to stop the mêlée that ensued. I remember one linesmen going down after trying to step between two combatants as they lost their footing. it's a mess... players are trying to hold team members back. OK, well, goalie Robert Gherson was laughing his ass off holding on to someone... but still, things were bad.

Next thing I know, the ref is skating away from the bench and signals the time keeper by using a finger, pointing downward, and circling it ... sure enough he told him to just run down the clock - this wasn't going to get fixed to be able to play out the 4.3 seconds left on the clock.

By the time everyone gets off the ice, both coaches get a Game misconduct - Coach (75.5(iii)), both Fahey's (there was on on each side) get 10 minute Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct (75.4), one guy on each side gets both a 10 minute Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct (75.4) and a Game misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct (75.5(i))... and you just want to know what made a Rockford guy get a 10 minute Misconduct - Abuse of officials (40.4).

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

It was COLD tonight... we're in the middle of a Wind Chill Advisory until noon tomorrow. I totally expected an empty arena.

Wrong - 12,022 in attendance. My guess - mostly groups. Still, a great turnout considering the weather.

Unfortunately, because of the group sales, again, they were a bunch of "amateurs". They just weren't paying attention, getting up during play... and then ANOTHER one of my oh-so-many pet peeves: parents just not paying attention to their children, as evidenced by the kid next to carol that kept kicking her as he was crawling all over the seat during the game.

We haven't actually seen the Manchester Monarchs before (great colors - a royal purple and gold). It seems that all of these teams that we don't see often (because they're in different conferences and divisions) seem to be stronger skaters. Not bigger necessarily, but faster, stronger. It makes watching the play a lot more fun. When the score was finally tied 1-1, I had no idea that the Wolves would actually score 4 more goals (especially after Robert Gherson let the first goal softly trickle in)...

Another item for the game - 2 referees. We don't normally see that at our games, and we had never see either of these guys before (Kyle Rehman and Mike McGeough). I could see where this would be be so advantageous, as one of the refs would always be behind the play and it would cut down on some of the "chippyness" that is just so common.

Oh, speaking of jerseys... the Wolves have had this whole promotional campaign this year that is somewhat patterned after the presidential campaigns here "Vote Wolves 2008 - Hockey for the fans". This game was one of the three where the Wolves were wearing special red-whit-blue jerseys that are being auctioned-off for charity tomorrow (they always have 2 jerseys a year that specially designed to be auctioned for charities... the other jersey is always for St. Patrick's Day)

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Cool game: The two first place teams in the Western Conference. Before the game, Toronto was 25-8-0-4 with 54 points and the Wolves were 27-9-1-0 with 55 points.

And, it turned into a good game... after a while. A bit more exciting as it went. It just felt a bit tense along the way.

And.. still... what the hell is a Marlie? (Thank you Wikipedia... "The team is named after the former Toronto Marlboroughs junior hockey team, but the abbreviated "Marlies" name was chosen to avoid any potential association with the similarly named cigarette brand.)

Couple of cool non-game related things:

Before the game, Chris Marinucci dropped the ceremonial puck.

Second thing: Just seeing some of the fans that for some reason all showed up tonight. No Bob & Chris, and Laura is back at college and Joey is probably off somewhere... but to have LeRoy and Patti back in front of us was great. And to have Scotty and Joe show up.. .and re-spark the Penalty Box Police. It was a lot of fun as a fan, just because of these people around us for a change... and it sure is a hell of a lot better than the ignorant disrespectful noobies that are up the section from us...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

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Taco Bell is an official sponsor of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Contest not produced or executed by any MLB Entity.

Back at the Allstate Arena for some AHL Hockey action. The season has started, and it's time to settle-in and start to gear-up to support the Chicago Wolves again. We watched the Season Opener in Houston last week and were mildly impressed with what we saw - again, new team, new faces, but some names that we enjoyed seeing again. I feel good about this year - I'm not as negative as I've been about this team as I have been in prior years... 10,209 showed-up, down from last year... but still a decent showing.

Nothing new around the Allstate Arena... the open and player introductions are about the same... even the faces in the seats around us of the returning Season Ticket holders are all there... and, you know... that's not a bad thing...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

The sun was low... shadows stretched across the entire playing field... children were running the bases... Nancy Faust was playing Auld Lang Syne ...

That was my last memory of U.S. Cellular Field as baseball season ended on the South Side of Chicago.

Many fans would - and did - say "Thank God THAT's over".

The Sox ended the season 72-90 - 24 games behind the division leading Cleveland Indians in 4th place.

One year ago, we ended the season 90-72. Interesting symmetry. (and then there was 2005 when we finished 99-63... and WON THE WORLD SERIES...)

Such a PAINFUL season... seams like it was just yesterday, but it was about 25½ weeks ago, when the season started, starting the same pitcher as today - Jose Contreras... who lost that Opening Day 12-5 against the Indians... seamed a fitting way to "bookend" the Season - 5-12 & 13-3.

What a disaster. A season that started with pundits claiming we may have the best bullpen in the majors, only to find out we didn't have starters that were ready to play, we didn't have ANY bullpen... and NO ONE was hitting to provide run support for the lousy pitching.

And here it is... the end of the baseball season... the time where I have always said in this blog, that the clock that I measure my life against stops... and doesn't start again until spring...

...and here, in the City of Chicago, where we won over many of the hearts of baseball fans just two short years ago by bringing a world championship to the city... all of those fans we won over... all of the goodwill that we had made...

IS GONE

... all because the Chicago National League Ball Club, Inc. has made it to the post season... and dreams of winning the first World Series in 99 years swirl through their heads...

All I can think of are all of those fans that spewed their HATRED of White Sox fans, in the vilest of comments, even as we made it through the playoffs .. .and to the World Series.. AND WON THE DAMN THING... when the city should just rejoice and celebrate, those fans did not... as they spat upon the ticker tape parade... those who didn't have the sense of mind to just SHUT THE HELL UP because your team did NOTHING that year... it was THEN that I realized that I would NEVER support THAT team...

To them, I will live my life through the post season as they had lived through ours in 2005.

(Boxscore)

It wasn't until the past MONDAY that Fox decided NOT to broadcast today's game, so the team moved the game to 6:05pm... which allowed United Airlines to sponsor the final fireworks night of the year.

What an odd game... first, as one of our runners was advancing to 2nd (i think on a bunt) the 2nd base umpire falls down and blocks the bag from the second baseman, so he couldn't get near the runner to tag him out (which caused manager Jim Leyland to go nuts and gets thrown out)... and then on a hit to right, the Tigers' Right Fielder Ryan Raburn... who overruns the ball... and as it goes through his legs, our runner scores and we win the game.

One other what I would consider funny story, this time before the game started:

On the left field scoreboard, they we showing the standings for each division... and usually just showing the top 2 teams, showing their won-loss record as well as how many games behind the teams were behind each leader...

...So... when in came time to show the National League Central standings, apparently the scoreboard staff just couldn't get themselves to do it, because all that was shown was "NL Central Standings" and the W L and GB column headings... the rest of the data was BLANK.

(Boxscore)

Well, since our baseball season seamed to evaporate many many MANY weeks ago, we start to turn our attention toward... Hockey Season.

And, since the AHL is so cheap to go watch... and since they were playing at their practice facility which is in OUR TOWN at the Hoffman Estates Park District Community Center & Ice Arena - we went to a preseason game of the Chicago Wolves against a brand new team - the Lake Erie Monsters.

I felt bad for those guys when they took to the ice... because the only jerseys they had, were obviously practice jerseys that just had their numbers on them - both front and back - and no team emblem/logo on the front.

Our guys... well.. they didn't have their names on their backs... perhaps because MOST of the guys on the ice will be gone by Monday, but at least their jerseys looked like they've played before.

Though, after about 35 minutes of play you knew that most of them didn't play .. at least in the AHL.

I mean... 6 unanswered goals?

like i said... preseaon... we don't get very attached to them... I'll start worrying when the season starts next week...

Uuugghh...

Well, 2-out-of-3.

At least we got to see Thumbelina before the game.

Another fast game - 2:21. Guess that happens when nobody scores for 7 innings. I seem to have a problem with Javier Vazquez. Now, I know he's a really hot pitcher right now, but I've been feeling that he just can't go long anymore... he feels like he just falls apart, and is very inconsistent. Ozzie came out to the mound for a visit in the 8th... and when I saw Ozzie leave, I said that was a mistake. Sure enough, 4 runs later (well, 2 were earned, and one scored when Bukvich came in, another pitcher I'd rather not see again).

Oh, and I have to say... it was nice to see Frank Thomas again... and it was nice to have the crowd give him a warm welcome... 503 homeruns in his career so far (448 with the White Sox over 16 seasons)

(Boxscore)

In a season that is just the crappiest baseball season that I could remember in years... decades perhaps... tonight was a game that was really quite enjoyable.

First the weather - it's seems like ages since we've been to a game and actually sat in our seats... a great night, cloudless, mid-70's.. OK, a little breezy, but a good night.

To add to that - a great pitching matchup: Roy Halladay against our Mark Buehrle.

It was just a low scoring, fast paced game... pretty well played, I think (yes there were errors on both sides) and.. yes.. we left 9 guys on base. But, hey, it was just nice to really enjoy a good baseball game.

Somehow I felt we were owed that.

Now... if you could call this a negative, and normally I would never do that, the game was short: 2:07.

Now WHY OH WHY would that be a negative? It's fireworks night... hard to enjoy fireworks when the sky is still light.

(Boxscore)

Gametime temperature - 90... I think that was a lie, only because we saw a thermometer on the way home that said 100. MUCH windier today, too

Still hot upstairs... went back down to the Rain Room for two passes today.

So... we won again today, and wound up actually splitting the 4 game series! I NEVER would have thought that possible after Friday night.

Javier Vasquez threw another complete game. Three homeruns by Mackowiak, Thome and Konerko.

After the last out, we see camera shots of Mark Buehrle, out of the dugout, waving to the fans. Of course, the Stadium Club people in charge of the audio/video feed to the room SUCK BIG TIME, and we couldn't hear what was going on, but in the light of the trade rumors, the rumors about an impasse in his contract talks... it was hard to interpret what was going on... was he waving goodbye to the Chicago fans? was he waving saying "well thanks for the support on the first half... hope to see ya in the second half"?

The scoreboard in left field finally displayed the announcement, that apparently Gene Honda was reading of the stadium P.A. :

So, here we are at the All-Star break - 36-47 (.453), 13 games behind 1st place Detroit (Cleveland is in 2nd, just a game back, and Minnesota - that we just split with - is ahead of us 8 games back... oh... and Kansas City is in last behind us, 2 games back from us)

(Boxscore)

VERY HARD to get excited about going to the game today. VERY HARD. I'll start first by saying that the weather is going to be bad this weekend, and it should have been in the 90's for the start of the game (though the boxscore says gametime was 85 degrees). It was going to be miserable, so we made reservations for the Stadium Club Bar, on the glass for great views. Both days, since tomorrow would be even hotter.

Well... let's talk about the other reason(s) why making the pilgrimage to the park is difficult. We're 37-47 coming into today - 10 games under .500 - a stark difference from the World Series year, or even being in contention last year. In 4th place in the division, 13 games behind the leader.

To add insult to injury, the team played two games yesterday, the first being a makeup from a freeze-out in early April. Talking about frozen... the score of the first game yesterday? 20-14. You didn't read that wrong - it was 2 runs shy of tying the American League record for Total Runs in a Game at 36. Normally, 14 runs is enough to kill your opponent - not yesterday. It got out of hand when starting pitcher Jon Garland only made it through 3 1/3 innings throwing 90 pitches to 25 batters, giving up 11 earned runs (12 total), 2 homeruns, 3 walks and not a single strikeout. Oh, the team not only gave up 20 runs but 21 hits, 8 walks (ooooo! 1 strikeout!) and 5 errors. And we still scored 14 runs, and had the bases loaded in the 9th.

So, you would think: put that behind you the second game will be different. We lose the second game 12-0. NO RUNS... 5 hits.

Between two games, we lost 32-14.

And you wonder why we didn't want to go to the game today? The Stadium Club was warm, and there was no air circulation against the glass where we were... we just kept drinking water, having the server bring us glasses of ice. During the course of the game I went downstairs and took a quick dash through the Rain Room to get wet and cool off. I noticed, however, when I was downstairs that it really didn't feel all that bad... I mean, it was hot, but there was a slight breeze... and just having the air move made it feel better...

Speaking of feeling better, the Sox WON the game 3-1. Mark Buehrle had a solid outing. We won, but it felt bittersweet as Buehrle has been the subject of MANY rumors about his contract negotiotions... and with him being the pitching star of the team, and the team doing so poorly, It would be hard to not deal him to get something back to put this tam back together.

But we WON... today.

(Boxscore)

3,936 - a bit more than Wednesday...

...and a different team showed-up to play, a team we hadn't seen in the playoffs: slower, fatigued.

They struggled the whole game to gain the lead and hold it, and just couldn't get it together at the end.

(Ga
me Summary - Gamesheet)

Well, I didn't talk about it, but the Wolves swept Milwaukee and made it to the next round, which quite frankly shocked us.

So, here we are in the next round against the Iowa Stars. 2,408 in attendance - pretty typical for a weeknight playoff game. And what a game - 2 goals in the first 1:03, the last goal with 8 seconds left in the game, and our 6th goal was a shorthanded empty-netter. A VERY strong game, a shutout, and we forced them to change goalies.

I love the way we've been playing...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Sunny. Warm. First day game in our seats. We lose again, but... it's baseball, we're in our seats, and enjoying our time.

(Boxscore)

This is already pretty far into the season, but today is the first day we are at the ballpark and actually sitting in our seats. These actual seats have been replaced since last year, and are the new forest green color, with a vented back (makes it look slats like an old-time seat), matching the other seats that were replaced last year. Now, the whole park is forest green - a wonderful look, something I've wanted for years. They also have another feature - the old blue seats faced directly straight out from the rows. The old seats actually faced the outfield from where we sit (down the 1st base line, out past first base, but before where the right-fielder would normally stand). The new seats, while still in rows facing outward (parallel to the concrete rows), are actually "canted" about 22 degrees toward the plate, giving a better view!

Be careful what you wish for - the seats are a smidge narrower to accommodate the tilt, and also there is slightly less leg room (which for us short people, isn't really a big deal).

Nice crowd tonight, too - 38,208, though a bit... strange. not paying attention, slow walking, stopping, not paying attention to people around them.

Too bad we lost again.

(Boxscore)

What the hell are we doing in a building that is this cold? The weather FINALLY has just busted open... it was 83°F outside!!!! OK, it was a little windy, but it was hot! Well, maybe hot is a little strong.

The intensity was almost the same, but we just dominated again... OK, not really the same intensity, but sort of close... The Admirals Booster Club was back in the same place... confident that their team would take the series back...

No such luck. And yes, their one goal was going to happen with the way they were swarming the net.

Now, for a team that I wrote-off before the playoff, they lead a Best Of 7 series 2-0...

Have to watch getting too confident...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

So, after a year absence, it's back to Playoff hockey for the Wolves.

WOW.

I noticed the last time that we played the Admirals: The intensity of the play was so escalated. And no in the playoffs, we were able to see that first hand. Speed, scrappiness, always going after the puck, always trying to control. We SO outplayed the Admirals in the first two periods.

Now - third period? OK, different story. The energy level wasn't exactly the same. And then, they allowed a Penalty Shot (though we question on whether the penalty that happened really warranted the shot) which brought them to one goal of a tie...

Was SO enjoying the game though... I just hope they can keep this up.

Oh... and the added little... ummm... entertainment... the Admirals Booster Club was seated the next section over... yeah... they tried to cheer their team on... they were pretty cocky... but they were awfully quiet each time we scored...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Ok... 7 penalties all game, making for a nice intense struggle throughout the game. It was still strange though...

Why?

The first 6 penalties were all Hooking calls. We were convince the ref (Dean Morton) only knew the one infraction, and couldn't call anything else. It tool until 7:40 in the 3rd to get a different penalty (Cross-checking).

Oh.. and we didn't know if our last goal counted, since it happened right at the final horn...green light no red light... then the red light came on later... sure enough, looking at the game summary, they scored at at 19:59 in the 3rd (scored by Darren Haydar, his 38th of the season)

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

In my twisted sort of way, I like it when there are only 3,918 in attendance, compared to Saturday when there was 12,829 against the Admirals

Highlight: Brett Sterling's hat trick

Oh... and when we left the game, it was sleeting, and the cars had piles of ice on them... this after the 73°... I knew that was going to be short lived...

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

What an odd, strange game... and not in a good way...

The Wolves scored at 4:13 into the period - it was the first shot of the game for both teams. Milwaukee didn't have a shot on goal until 15:45 into the period! We were up 3-0 until 18:24 in the first. Now, this is important, because after being up 3-0, Milwaukee had 5 unanswered goals through 17:32 in the 3rd.. .how do you lose a 3 goal lead? Now, I've complained about our goalie situation all year... they are inept and we will never get through the playoffs without a good netminder... only thing worse that this team does, is pulling the goalie when down by a goal. the defense just can't support that. Sure enough, we let them into the zone and they scored at 19:57 in the third.

It's all about the net, people...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Wow... the start of the game was great... hardly a whistle... for a penalty OR offsides... and the energy and intensity were through the roof... and then the rest of the game happened...

On the plus side, Jason Krog is back with the team and scored two goals...

On the negative side, we just don't have a reliable goalie... tonight was Freddie Brathwaite's turn to suck, imitating a sieve for a piece of time on the ice tonight...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

The story here is actually the weather... it's miserable, Winter Storm Warnings... Carol continually questioned me and commented as we drove toward the Allstate Arena. It was sloppy. Fortunately there weren't a lot of people on the road, but it was very slow going... I was surprised on how many cars were in the parking lot. Clearly, this was... or was going to be... a well-attended game. Another way to tell - The Grille was open for business - it's only open and staffed when there's a good crowd.

Clearly, the AHL counts tickets sold and not turnstile for attendance figure, because the official attendance tonight is listed as 14,113.

This wasn't the same team that we had saw the last time we were here. Lethargic. We were outshot 15-5 in the first period. I took a walk during the first intermission - I saw somebody going outside for a smoke, and it looked like a blizzard outside..

The game sucked - another 1-0 game... until they pulled our goalie in the last minute... dumb move if your defense hasn't stepped-up. Omaha scored.

Speaking of Omaha, this is the first time that we saw this team. The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights. Odd name. Ak-Sar-Ben is Nebraska spelled backward. And speaking of spelling...

...the tickets for tonight's game, as well as tickets for another game coming up, where all misprinted.. instead of saying

OMAHA AK-SAR-BEN KNIGHTS

it says

OHAMA AK-SAR-BEN KNIGHTS

...how embarassing...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

What a great game for a change! All six goals scored by someone different - everybody stepping up... a nice change... (2 powerplay and one shorthanded, too)

This was the first home game in a few weeks.. they've been on the road for 9 games... all in Canada.. I think their record was 5-2-1-1 which is pretty good for them.. points in all but 2 games.

Always strange seeing a former Wolves player on an opposing team - today it was Ben Simon - he hasn't been with the Wolves since the 2004-05 season, and he's been up and down since, but.. i remember the guy... Carol claims she never heard of him... thought she would remember Benny.. and he had 3 penalties tonight...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Boy, this is getting messy... a team comes to town with a losing record, and yet we play down to their level.

And what does the Team Name mean anyway?

Only redeeming point was not the game itself, but the regular Wednesday Night food eating contest during the first intermission called "Hungry Hungry Humpday". This week - MY FAVORITE snack - Edy's (or Dreyer's) Dibs. It was how many Ice Cream Dibs (I don't know the flavor, but it looked like vanilla) you can eat in 4 minutes. I SO could have done this contest... and, it turned out, that it wasn't how many you can eat in 4 minutes, but rather how quick you could eat the 60 Dibs in the bucket, Since the winner finished before the 4 minute mark. If ever there was a food to eat in "Hungry Hungry Humpday", this was mine. I wish I knew about it...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Bad game - the slide continues now to 4 games lost. The Bulldogs scored three time in the third - 2 on power plays, one on an empty net. HATE that. (The three Wolves goals were all on Power Plays - a rarity.) Poor game.

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Great matchup tonight - The Wolves (26-12-1-2) and Penguins (26-7-2-2) are the number one and two offensive powers in the league. A little boring, but hard fought, ending in the first shutout of the season for the Wolves.

DDarren Haydar had ended his 39-game point streak on Tuesday. His point streak finished tied with Wayne Gretzky for the fourth-longest of its kind in professional hockey history, as well as an American Hockey League and Wolves franchise record, and he leads the league with 55 assists and 79 points.

The non-hockey sort of related item - the 5 millionth fan came through the turnstile.

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

What a lousy game... the boys were outplayed big time... they were stronger, faster, more intense. I'm still not liking Fred Brathwaite in goal... in two periods the Wolves held Rochester to just 7 shots... but Freddie allowed 3 goals on those 7 shots (we out shot them 39 to 15).

There was another almost depressing thing... the league's Points Leader Darren Haydar looked like he just wasn't getting setup and taking shots all night. Then, with 8.8 seconds left in the game, he finally gets an assist on a shorthanded goal.

Why was this noteworthy? He leads the AHL with 53 assists and 75 points (the most by a player in Wolves history through 36 outings) and ranks fifth with 22 goals. He has more assists than any player in the league has points, (excluding linemate Brett Sterling.) His +24 plus/minus rating is also the best in the league. They guy is good, fun to watch... I thought he wouldn't get a point in this sloppy game...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Only 7,532 people for a Saturday night, which makes it feel empty... if it wasn't for the number of idiots getting-up in the middle of play without waiting for the damn whistle... I don't know, it's my Pet Peeve at a hockey game.

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

A typical weekday night - 4,028 people there... and Carol and I were talking that, we like it when it's empty. Oh sure, we love when there nobody sitting around us, so they're not standing up and trying to get something to drink or eat in the middle of play (Hey! Idiot! Wait for the whistle!). But even better is being able to hear more of what is going on during the game: the sound of the skates, the passing, the checks, the yelling from the bench...

A pretty good game tonight... we had 4 goals in the 3rd, one shorthanded, 2 within a minute of each other...

Oh, and the referee, Shaun Davis, was whistle happy with Interference calls, including one of Goaltender Interference against Nathan Oystrick when he hit Dan Ellis when he was out past the circles playing a puck! How is that interference? Did we not see something????

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

60 Shots on Goal. Sixty. 20 in each period.

8,906 in attendance, down a bit for the weekend... still amazing... we almost gave away this game, so we're not very "even" for the duration of the game

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

American Hockey League season-high 13,718 people at the game tonight.

First, the team: being away from home for a few weeks has really helped the team. We've had only 1 loss on the road, and they brought that discipline home. They played very well tonight... they're a lot faster than prior years, and they seem to setup plays a bit better... though goalie Michael Garnett needs to be chained to the net to stop him from roaming so much.

Now, let's talk about the 13,718 idiots at the game...

WAIT FOR THE WHISTLE!!!

All of the damn group sales people, sitting in the middle of our section, who just don't understand that YOU DO NOT STAND UP AND MOVE THROUGH YOUR ROW TO LEAVE TO GO... SOMEWHERE... WHILE PLAY IS GOING ON.

A steady, continuous stream of kids, parents, parents and kids, and 20-somethings needing beer developed thoughout the game... disturbing us... the people behind us... the people behind them... ad infinitum...

I am thoroughly surprised that we saw any of the game, let alone seeing the goals... oh, and that last series of fights all going at the same time (i have never seen a player give up during a fight)

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Our first home win! woot!

I haven't talked about the games much... probably because I've been really distracted this year by the fans around us. There are people that we knew for the prior years that appear to be gone, giving up their tickets. A few people moved around. Then, there are a few new people that we don't remember seeing before.

I haven't been enjoying the games much... other than the team sucking at home, I'm getting pissed at some of the people around us. You tend to notice things more when there's under 4000 people in the place. I'll have to talk about it sometime... there are just idiots at the game... is it because the sport draws this "type"?

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

How can you have a 4-2 lead into the 3rd period, and lose the game 7-4?

How could you win only on the road, and lose orly at home?

This is not shaping up to be a good season...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Another season has come, and we're back at the Allstate Arena for some AHL Hockey action. The Wolves have a 2-0 start to the season, and tonight's the home opener. Half the adventure of the first home game is actually just looking around and seeing what people are back in their seats (some people are missing, some people changed seats, some people don't even look the same!)

The other adventure is seeing the team for the first time... a bunch of guys that we just don't know. And, continuing from last year, a disappointing showing. 12,128 show up to see a loss.

And, unlike last year, there's no local post season baseball to fall back on.

Oh.. and the Milwaukee Admirals? New logo. Has NOTHING to do with an Admiral... it's a stylized skull with a pirate hat...

(Game Summary - Gamesheet)

Well, her ewe were.

The last home game of the season.. this God awful season...

That makes it Fan Appreciation Day. Whoopee. I'm not feeling so appreciated.

So.. unlike the past few days... the clouds parted before the game.. replaced by cloudless blue sky.

5 homreuns, 2 by Paul Konerko, includes a Grand Slam by Juan Uribe... and still with a cushion like that, the relievers almost gave up the game.

But.. it's over. No postseason. And... talking to our friends and fans around us, there is almost a sense of physical hurt, Maybe it's withdrawal pains... we had a taste of postseason... and it tasted so good, we wanted more.. and it was snatched away from us by poor play.

My season is over... that time in my lfe each year that excites me and somewhow makes me whole. I have to wait for Aoril 2, 2007 now.

(Boxscore)

Thought we dodged the bullet with the rain yesterday...

The damn team was losing 7-2.. it started pouring in the top of the 6th (figures.. the game was official at that point). The sky opened-up... but the umpires took their damn time before they ground crew came out. The rain came down SO hard, that it started to puddle to the left of 1st base. It was bad. Then the crew pulled the tarp onto the field crooked, exposing the top of the diamond between 1st & 2nd. The tarp filled with rain and became too heavy to move. The actual rain part of the delay was under an hour.

It took 45 minutes alone, after the tarp was pulled, to fix the infield dirt, the mound, and around the plate.. the used something like a heavy roller pulled by a John Deer to "squeegee" the puddles in the dirt. Every time they threw an entire bag of the drying compound, it just soaked up the water and was wet again.

It was terrible. it was dangerous.

But... Carol and I had a prior commitment (dinner at B&B for their 25th anniversary), so we actually (gasp!) left the game just as the Sox were taking the field...

So we didn't see the team actually come back from a 7-2 deficit to WIN THE GAME 11-7.

(Boxscore)

(Boxscore)

(Boxscore)

About damn time - Mark Buehrle finally pitches a good game and the team actually gives run support.

(Boxscore)

It's been a while since we had one of these - a rain delay. Before the game started, the skies opened and it rained these huge friggin' drops. It completely soaked anybody not protected in just seconds. It wasn't a lot of rain, just huge friggin' drops. I... ummm... actually enjoyed it. I had brought my rain slicker with me to the park, anticipating this happening. Sure enough, it did. And I thought it was cool.

OK, I have named my Official Whipping Boy of the team. I knew when I saw the lineup that this would b a problem. Sure enough it was. culprit (in my estimation?) Rob Mackowiak. He defense is a detriment to the team. He continues to mis-play balls, not being able to judge a ball coming off the bat, which has him breaking late for a ball, having most of them sailing over his head or falling in front of him.

Sorry. Get rid of him. He better not be with the club next year.

Jermaine Dye had a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game, but we lost the game in the 11th by one run. one stinking run.

We should have had this game. If it weren't for Mackowiak's playing, we may have been able to stop them from getting a foothold in the first place.

(Boxscore)

The weather is almost as good as yesterday, but not quite...

There wasn't as many Detroit fans Friday night as Elvis fans.. in fact, I think the Elvis fans may have locked-out the Detroit fans from getting tickets. MANY Detroit yesterday, very vocal... today, not as many, but still there. There had to be more fights in the stands than during the Cubs series.

I don't like seeing people tempt fate by bringing brooms to the park on the last day of a series. The guy next to Carol had a tiny wheat broom in the adjustable band in the back of his basebal hat, and that seemed acceptable.

Freddie Garcia had a good outing with 6 strikouts, but giving up all three runs. And this time Detroit had onl 1 error.

SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP

NEVER thought we'd do that... that's a 3-game swing, chipping away at Detroit's lead...

(Boxscore)

What a great day for a game... THIS was the day... high 70's... blue sky... clean air... nice breeze, oh baby... Best Weather.

Mark Buehrle. 7 strikeouts, no walks, but 3 runs and no decision. Bleh. But, Detroit has 3 errors (2 errors last night as well..) and we struggle and play small ball and get back on top and win by one.

Oh, man... two in a row... against Detroit.. can't get too cocky... it's giong to be hell ltomorrow...

(Boxscore)

American League
Central
DET	76	38	.667	---
SOX	67	46	.593	8½
MIN	67	47	.588	9
CLE	49	64	.434	26½
KAN	41	73	.360	35

That's the standings as of this morning. Doesn't look anything like last year. And we're playing Detroit at home for three games.

Oh, and baby - It's Elvis Night.

Yes, it's time for the annual pilgrimage. We're not even Elvis fans... we just love this night at the park. On the way in, we met my cousin Jane, her husband Richard, her Dad, my Uncle Jim, and her neice (and our goddaughter) Sam, as the stood in line waiting to get in when the gates opened. We stayed outside for a while to see some of the acts in preshow concerts on stages outside the park. In the past few years, we had as the headliner, a great guy called Shawn Klush. This year, we have a young newcomer named Jamie Aaron Kelley. He would be classified as a really young Elvis. He had the stage outside before the game, the National Anthem, and the post game concert inside the park. (His claim to fame is he is the very first person in history to memorize every song that Elvis EVER recorded in his career and then sing them all in public to prove it (and there's a LOT of songs)). I have to admit... bring back Shawn... met-up with my friend and former cowerker Peggy, whose family is always at this event... (she had 18 people in her group this year... sitting behind the plate!)... man I miss her.. she's just great to talk to...

Now, let's get back to the game. This series is SOOOooo critical. And I had NO IDEA that Jose Contreras would pitch the game he did. First career complete game shutout. 101 pitches, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts. Detroit helps with 2 errors... Yes, let's start something...

(Boxscore)

We're in the middle of this god awful heat spell, so the first thing we did was get wristbands to be allowed out onto the field. HUH? Yes, we were allowed to walk out onto the field...

You know how special it is to walk out onto center field of a major league ballpark? Feel the unbelievable grass at your feet.. level... no holes... no weeds... look around and get an idea on how much room a centerfielder has to cover..

We strolled around the field... went into the Sox bullpen, both the dugout and mounds... then off to the Sox dugout... the phones were live.. if you opened-up the box and pulled the phone off-hook, the opposite phone (bullpen-Dugout) would ring automatically... we walked to the visitor's dugout... watched people playing catch in the outfield... we stopped to watch a woman throwing to.. her husband? no arc to her throws, good mechanics, zip on the ball.. she's played... we lapped the field... and we went inside to get something cold to drink in the patio area...we made a mistake by not getting any of the free food (chicken, ribs, dogs, burgers, potato salad, cole slaw)... we walked the tunnel underneath the stands and visited the Visitor's Clubhouse.. looked at the lockers, and ALL OF THE SNACKS AND DRINKS... we walked across the tunnel to the Conference Center, the big conference room still setup for a Post-Game Press Conference... and then we checked out the Scout Seats food and beverage café (REALLY nice)... then we went out of the tunnel, walked up a ramp, onto the main concourse of the park, where we waited.. and waited.. and waited in the heat (no breeze, but no sun either) to look at and get our pictures taken with the World Series Trophy.

That was long and draining for me.. let alone barry, who is still not up to 100% healthy. We walked the outfield concourse.. and got to Fundamentals, which was open. Barry didn't feel comfortable climbing all of those stars, so I went up alone, and saw the batting cages, pitching cages, training field, and the Scott Podsedik Run.

I came back down, we walked into the Patio area for lunch and.. NO FOOD. They had shutdown for the day... we were able to get a cold drink..

It really felt special to be there again. I miss the park. I know I'm there each weekend, but this is sooo much more special.

It makes you feel special.

So.. we left the park.. hungry.. with nothing to do.. so.. we went to Horseshoe to gamble for a couple of hours!

Yes, today s a gorgeous day for baseball, finally coming out of the oppressive heat we've had...

And the day starts before the game started, as the White Sox unveiled two new status out on the centerfield concourse, around the Fan Deck in a pre-game ceremony.

The statues were of Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox, posed as if working together on a double play (Fox flipping a baseball to Aparicio, who was depicted with his glove outstretched, waiting to catch the baseball.).

The statues were unveiled simultaneously, by Aparicio and Joanne Fox, Nellie's widow. I actually broke down sobbing behind my sunglases as I watched Joanne pull the black cloth from off her husbands statue.. because the first thing she did upon seeing it.. was reach out and carress his cheek with her open hand... so sweet. That's five statues out there - following Charles Comiskey, Minnie Minoso and Carlton Fisk.

Aparicio threw out the first pitch to Ozzie Guilen - 2 All-Star Venezuelan shortstops.

The Sox wore throwback uniforms representing the 1908 World Series champions, which, if i remember correctly, didn't go over very well last time.

The game was SOOOooo much better than the last few, ending our 4-game losing streak. Jon Garland is finally coming around.

Unfortunately, after Alex Cintron was drilled by the pitcher Vicente Padilla in the bottom of the third, we all knew that Garland would be instructed to go after somebody (n his last outing against the Sox, Padilla hit A.J. Pierzynski twice in a way that Ozzie thought was intentional). Sure enough, i nthe top of the 4th, threw behind Ian Kinsler. Throwing behind is not the same as drilling someone, so Ozzie came out and was yelling at Garland on the mound. After the inning, Ozzie layed into garland in the dougout, throwing water bottles. (We couldn't see that from our seats, but it looked bad on TV).

Scot Podesdnik gets a homer, his 3rd of the season.. already surpassing last year's count of zero.

With the win, we are still 6½ games behind Detroit.. which sucks.

Afer the game, the Sox designated backup catcher Chris Widger for assignment... wonder what's up?

Update: The Sox get Sandy Alomar Jr. from the Dodgers for his third stint with the team.

(Boxscore)

Weird day at the park. Weird.

And I'm sure it had nothing to do with Better Than Ezra performing an acoustic set before the game (including "Juicy").

Or that tonight was the first Saturday Fireworks Night since May 6 (Fox kept rescheduling our games for their benefit.. such is the life of a fan of a World Series champion).

Weird vibe. Weird people in the park. Lot's of kids. Lot's of people that don't seem to be belong there... like they weren't fans, they were there to party... certainly not to watch the ballgame... (this must be what a Cubs game is like)

Only highlight? Paul Konerko's solo homerun in the 6th.

We lose our 4th game in a row... while Detroit loses! We could have made up ground!

Oh... and to top it off? It rained during the game. OK, not hard, but it sure was annoying.

(Boxscore)

Top 1ST B:3 S:3 O:1 Ichiro Suzuki strikes out swinging.

Top 1ST B:3 S:3 O:2
Derek Jeter strikes out swinging.

Top 1ST B:2 S:3 O:3
David Ortiz called out on strikes.

--------------------------- END 1ST

Top 2ND B:1 S:2 O:1
Alex Rodriguez grounds out, shortstop Edgar Renteria to first baseman Albert Pujols.

Top 2ND B:1 S:1 O:1
Vladimir Guerrero homers (1) on a fly ball to right field.

Top 2ND B:1 S:0 O:2
Ivan Rodriguez lines out sharply to second baseman Chase Utley.

Top 2ND B:1 S:1 O:3
Vernon Wells flies out to center fielder Carlos Beltran.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 2ND

Bottom 2ND B:3 S:2 O:1
Edgar Renteria grounds out, pitcher Kenny Rogers to first baseman David Ortiz.

Bottom 2ND B:0 S:0 O:1
David Wright homers (1) on a line drive to left field.

Bottom 2ND B:2 S:2 O:1
Chase Utley singles on a soft ground ball to shortstop Derek Jeter.

Bottom 2ND B:1 S:1 O:3
Paul Lo Duca grounds into double play, pitcher Kenny Rogers to shortstop Derek Jeter to first baseman David Ortiz. Chase Utley out at 2nd.

--------------------------- END 2ND

Top 3RD B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Roy Oswalt replaces Brad Penny, batting 9th.

Top 3RD B:0 S:1 O:1
Mark Loretta grounds out to first baseman Albert Pujols.

Top 3RD B:0 S:0 O:1
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Magglio Ordonez replaces Kenny Rogers.

Top 3RD B:3 S:3 O:2
Magglio Ordonez strikes out swinging.

Top 3RD B:3 S:1 O:3
Ichiro Suzuki lines out sharply to right fielder Jason Bay.

--------------------------- END 3RD

Top 4TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Brandon Webb replaces Roy Oswalt, batting 1st.

Top 4TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive switch from right field to left field for Jason Bay.

Top 4TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Matt Holliday remains in the game as the right fielder.

Top 4TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Derek Jeter strikes out swinging.

Top 4TH B:2 S:2 O:2
David Ortiz pops out to third baseman David Wright in foul territory.

Top 4TH B:2 S:0 O:3
Alex Rodriguez grounds out, shortstop Edgar Renteria to first baseman Albert Pujols.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 4TH

Bottom 4TH B:1 S:2 O:0
Jason Bay singles on a line drive to center fielder Vernon Wells.

Bottom 4TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Edgar Renteria grounds into double play, second baseman Mark Loretta to shortstop Derek Jeter to first baseman David Ortiz. Jason Bay out at 2nd.

Bottom 4TH B:3 S:1 O:3
David Wright grounds out, shortstop Derek Jeter to first baseman David Ortiz.

--------------------------- END 4TH

Top 5TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Freddy Sanchez replaces shortstop Edgar Renteria, batting 1st.

Top 5TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Bronson Arroyo replaces Brandon Webb, batting 5th.

Top 5TH B:1 S:0 O:1
Vladimir Guerrero pops out to shortstop Freddy Sanchez in foul territory.

Top 5TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Ivan Rodriguez flies out to center fielder Carlos Beltran.

Top 5TH B:0 S:2 O:2
Vernon Wells singles on a ground ball to left fielder Jason Bay.

Top 5TH B:1 S:1 O:3
Mark Loretta lines out to shortstop Freddy Sanchez.

--------------------------- END 5TH

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive switch from shortstop to 2nd for Freddy Sanchez.

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Brian Fuentes replaces Bronson Arroyo, batting 5th.

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Brian McCann replaces catcher Paul Lo Duca, batting 7th.

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: David Eckstein replaces shortstop Freddy Sanchez, batting 8th.

Top 6TH B:0 S:3 O:1
Grady Sizemore strikes out swinging.

Top 6TH B:1 S:2 O:2
Ichiro Suzuki grounds out, shortstop David Eckstein to first baseman Albert Pujols.

Top 6TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Derek Jeter grounds out, third baseman David Wright to first baseman Albert Pujols.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 6TH

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Jermaine Dye replaces right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, batting 1st.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Miguel Tejada replaces shortstop Derek Jeter, batting 2nd.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Paul Konerko replaces first baseman David Ortiz, batting 3rd.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Troy Glaus replaces third baseman Alex Rodriguez, batting 4th.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Scott Kazmir replaces Barry Zito, batting 8th.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Freddy Sanchez grounds out, shortstop Miguel Tejada to first baseman Paul Konerko.

Bottom 6TH B:3 S:2 O:2
Carlos Beltran flies out to left fielder Gary Matthews.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Albert Pujols flies out to center fielder Grady Sizemore.

--------------------------- END 6TH

--------------------------- END 7TH

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Carlos Lee replaces left fielder Jason Bay, batting 4th.

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Miguel Cabrera replaces third baseman David Wright, batting 5th.

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Tom Gordon replaces Derrick Turnbow, batting 6th.

Top 8TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Joe Mauer strikes out swinging.

Top 8TH B:2 S:1 O:1
Gary Matthews singles on a ground ball to left fielder Carlos Lee.

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Jim Thome replaces Johan Santana.

Top 8TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Jim Thome grounds out, second baseman Freddy Sanchez to first baseman Ryan Howard. Gary Matthews to 2nd.

Top 8TH B:1 S:0 O:3
Grady Sizemore grounds out, second baseman Freddy Sanchez to first baseman Ryan Howard.

--------------------------- END 8TH

Top 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Trevor Hoffman replaces Tom Gordon, batting 6th.

Top 9TH B:0 S:1 O:1
Jermaine Dye grounds out softly, pitcher Trevor Hoffman to first baseman Ryan Howard.

Top 9TH B:0 S:2 O:2
Miguel Tejada grounds out softly, pitcher Trevor Hoffman to first baseman Ryan Howard.

Top 9TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Paul Konerko singles on a ground ball to left fielder Carlos Lee.

Top 9TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Jose Lopez replaces Paul Konerko.

Top 9TH B:0 S:1 O:2
Troy Glaus hits a ground-rule double (1) on a line drive to left field. Jose Lopez to 3rd.

Top 9TH B:0 S:2 O:2
Michael Young triples (1) on a line drive to center fielder Carlos Beltran. Jose Lopez scores. Troy Glaus scores.

Top 9TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Joe Mauer grounds out sharply, pitcher Trevor Hoffman to first baseman Ryan Howard.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 9TH

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Jose Lopez remains in the game as the third baseman.

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive switch from 3rd to 1st for Troy Glaus.

Bottom 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Mariano Rivera replaces B. J. Ryan, batting 8th.

Bottom 9TH B:1 S:2 O:1
Freddy Sanchez grounds out, third baseman Jose Lopez to first baseman Troy Glaus.

Bottom 9TH B:2 S:2 O:1
Carlos Beltran reaches on fielding error by third baseman Jose Lopez.

Bottom 9TH B:1 S:1 O:2
Ryan Howard grounds out, second baseman Michael Young to first baseman Troy Glaus. Carlos Beltran to 2nd.

Bottom 9TH B:1 S:2 O:3
Carlos Lee pops out to second baseman Michael Young.

A RECORD for U.S. Cellular Field: LONGEST GAME EVER.

SIX HOURS AND NINETEEN MINUTES. 19 innings. (Also, the longest game the White Sox have played in since 1991 and the longest timed game in the Major Leagues since August 2001)

It started out with the hope of a grand pitcher's duel: Jose Contreras vs Curt Schilling. Both only lasted 6 innings of the marathon leaving with Boston up 3-2.

Jermaine Dye hit a homer with 2-out in the bottom of the 9th, letting the strangeness begin.

We expected the game to be over in 1 or 2 innings. We had no idea what an extended game is really like.

Think about this: the concession stands stop preparing food after the 9th inning. You can get anything that didn't involve cooking: bag of potato chips, bag of peanuts, candy. That's it. It's also the last game before the All-Star break. Since, you don't know how long the game will take, you don't need cooked hot dogs or pizza that will go to waste because you'll have to throw it out after an inning of play. The other place that had food was the nacho stands - you don't cook nachos, you just pour them out of bags.

Beer sales stopped after the 7th. But, non-alcohol drinks were purchasable.

The game goes on...

In the 11th, each team scores 2 runs, and the madness continues... The trading of runs pushes some of the people of the edge. We realized that everybody that was going to leave the game, had left. Everyone that's left are the FANS, and they're staying for the duration.. whatever it is..

Gene Honda invites us to stand for The 14th Inning Stretch, and everybody is laughing their asses off...

Things turn worse... a sign hangs outside a suite on the 3rd base side: "PLEASE SEND FOOD"

In the 16th, we hear from somebody that bought nachos that the stands have run out of bottled water...

We start thinking about The 21st Inning Stretch...

Boston has brought in its 8th pitcher. Our 8th is still in the bullpen, and he's PISSED, because he knows that he's still out there because everyone thinks he'll lose the game. He's trowing his glove around the little dugout area in the bullpen. It's Cliff Politte.

It's the top of the 19th. Brandon McCarthy has pitched 4 innings and he has to go. So... you bring in... Politte. You can hear the audible groans of the crowd. many begin to pack-up...

Cliff gets a strikeout, line-out and fly-out - three up, three down.

Bottom of the 19th:

Joe Crede fouls out on a popup. Alex Cintron singles on a line drive to center. Rob Mackowiak singles on a soft ground ball to third. Scott Podsednik singles on a soft line drive to left...

Tadahito Iguchi singles on a ground ball to left scoring Alex Cintron...

And the madness is over.. after 540 pitches....

(Boxscore)

Top 1ST B:4 S:2 O:0 Kevin Youkilis walks.

Top 1ST B:1 S:2 O:0
With Mark Loretta batting, wild pitch by Jose Contreras, Kevin Youkilis to 2nd.

Top 1ST B:1 S:3 O:1
Mark Loretta strikes out swinging.

Top 1ST B:1 S:2 O:1
David Ortiz singles on a soft line drive to left fielder Scott Podsednik. Kevin Youkilis scores.

Top 1ST B:0 S:2 O:2
Manny Ramirez grounds into a force out, shortstop Juan Uribe to second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. David Ortiz out at 2nd. Manny Ramirez to 1st.

Top 1ST B:0 S:0 O:3
Trot Nixon grounds out sharply, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to first baseman Paul Konerko.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 1ST

Bottom 1ST B:0 S:1 O:1
Scott Podsednik pops out to shortstop Alex Gonzalez.

Bottom 1ST B:1 S:3 O:2
Tadahito Iguchi strikes out swinging.

Bottom 1ST B:1 S:0 O:3
Jim Thome pops out to third baseman Mike Lowell.

--------------------------- END 1ST

Top 2ND B:2 S:3 O:1
Jason Varitek strikes out swinging.

Top 2ND B:1 S:3 O:2
Mike Lowell strikes out swinging.

Top 2ND B:4 S:1 O:2
Coco Crisp walks.

Top 2ND B:0 S:1 O:2
With Alex Gonzalez batting, Coco Crisp steals (8) 2nd base.

Top 2ND B:2 S:1 O:3
Alex Gonzalez pops out to first baseman Paul Konerko.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 2ND

Bottom 2ND B:2 S:2 O:1
Paul Konerko grounds out, third baseman Mike Lowell to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 2ND B:0 S:0 O:2
Jermaine Dye flies out to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 2ND B:1 S:0 O:2
A. J. Pierzynski singles on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 2ND B:2 S:3 O:3
Joe Crede strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 2ND

Top 3RD B:1 S:3 O:1
Kevin Youkilis strikes out swinging.

Top 3RD B:3 S:2 O:2
Mark Loretta flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 3RD B:4 S:2 O:2
David Ortiz walks.

Top 3RD B:1 S:0 O:3
Manny Ramirez grounds into a force out, third baseman Joe Crede to second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. David Ortiz out at 2nd.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 3RD

Bottom 3RD B:3 S:2 O:1
Juan Uribe grounds out, pitcher Curt Schilling to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 3RD B:1 S:2 O:1
Brian Anderson singles on a ground ball to left fielder Manny Ramirez.

Bottom 3RD B:3 S:3 O:3
Scott Podsednik strikes out swinging and Brian Anderson caught stealing 2nd, catcher Jason Varitek to shortstop Alex Gonzalez.

--------------------------- END 3RD

Top 4TH B:0 S:3 O:1
Trot Nixon strikes out swinging.

Top 4TH B:1 S:2 O:2
Jason Varitek lines out to pitcher Jose Contreras.

Top 4TH B:0 S:1 O:2
Mike Lowell homers (11) on a fly ball to left center field.

Top 4TH B:4 S:1 O:2
Coco Crisp walks.

Top 4TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Alex Gonzalez singles on a sharp line drive to left fielder Scott Podsednik. Coco Crisp to 2nd.

Top 4TH B:1 S:0 O:2
With Kevin Youkilis batting, wild pitch by Jose Contreras, Coco Crisp to 3rd. Alex Gonzalez to 2nd.

Top 4TH B:4 S:1 O:2
Kevin Youkilis walks.

Top 4TH B:0 S:2 O:2
Mark Loretta hit by pitch. Coco Crisp scores. Alex Gonzalez to 3rd. Kevin Youkilis to 2nd.

Top 4TH B:3 S:0 O:3
David Ortiz flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 4TH

Bottom 4TH B:3 S:1 O:0
Tadahito Iguchi homers (10) on a fly ball to center field.

Bottom 4TH B:1 S:3 O:1
Jim Thome strikes out swinging.

Bottom 4TH B:1 S:1 O:2
Paul Konerko flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 4TH B:1 S:2 O:3
Jermaine Dye grounds out, third baseman Mike Lowell to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 4TH

Top 5TH B:3 S:2 O:1
Manny Ramirez flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 5TH B:2 S:0 O:2
Trot Nixon lines out sharply to second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.

Top 5TH B:0 S:0 O:3
Jason Varitek flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 5TH

Bottom 5TH B:0 S:3 O:1
A. J. Pierzynski strikes out swinging, catcher Jason Varitek to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 5TH B:1 S:2 O:2
Joe Crede flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 5TH B:1 S:1 O:3
Juan Uribe grounds out softly, second baseman Mark Loretta to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 5TH

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Mike Lowell singles on a soft pop up to catcher A. J. Pierzynski.

Top 6TH B:1 S:3 O:1
Coco Crisp called out on strikes.

Top 6TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Alex Gonzalez flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 6TH B:1 S:0 O:3
Kevin Youkilis flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 6TH

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:1 O:0
Brian Anderson doubles (9) on a line drive to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Scott Podsednik bunt pops out to first baseman Kevin Youkilis in foul territory.

Bottom 6TH B:4 S:1 O:1
Tadahito Iguchi walks.

Bottom 6TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Jim Thome singles on a line drive to center fielder Coco Crisp. Brian Anderson scores. Tadahito Iguchi to 3rd.

Bottom 6TH B:1 S:1 O:2
Paul Konerko flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 6TH B:2 S:3 O:3
Jermaine Dye strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 6TH

Top 7TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Neal Cotts replaces Jose Contreras.

Top 7TH B:0 S:1 O:1
Mark Loretta grounds out, third baseman Joe Crede to first baseman Paul Konerko.

Top 7TH B:2 S:3 O:2
David Ortiz strikes out swinging.

Top 7TH B:2 S:2 O:2
Manny Ramirez doubles (16) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 7TH B:3 S:3 O:3
Trot Nixon called out on strikes.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 7TH

Bottom 7TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Manny Delcarmen replaces Curt Schilling.

Bottom 7TH B:1 S:0 O:1
A. J. Pierzynski lines out to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 7TH B:0 S:1 O:2
Joe Crede grounds out, third baseman Mike Lowell to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 7TH B:2 S:3 O:3
Juan Uribe strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 7TH

Top 8TH B:1 S:3 O:1
Jason Varitek strikes out swinging.

Top 8TH B:2 S:1 O:2
Mike Lowell grounds out, third baseman Joe Crede to first baseman Paul Konerko.

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Coco Crisp doubles (7) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Pitcher Change: David Riske replaces Neal Cotts.

Top 8TH B:1 S:1 O:3
Alex Gonzalez lines out to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 8TH

Bottom 8TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Brian Anderson lines out to second baseman Mark Loretta.

Bottom 8TH B:0 S:3 O:2
Scott Podsednik strikes out swinging.

Bottom 8TH B:3 S:2 O:3
Tadahito Iguchi grounds out softly, shortstop Alex Gonzalez to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 8TH

Top 9TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Bobby Jenks replaces David Riske.

Top 9TH B:4 S:0 O:0
Kevin Youkilis walks.

Top 9TH B:0 S:2 O:1
Mark Loretta flies out to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 9TH B:0 S:0 O:3
David Ortiz grounds into double play, third baseman Joe Crede to first baseman Paul Konerko. Kevin Youkilis out at 2nd.

--------------------------- END 9TH

Top 10TH B:0 S:3 O:1
Manny Ramirez called out on strikes.

Top 10TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Trot Nixon grounds out, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to first baseman Paul Konerko.

Top 10TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Jason Varitek grounds out, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to first baseman Paul Konerko.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 10TH

Bottom 10TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Alex Cintron replaces Juan Uribe.

Bottom 10TH B:1 S:1 O:1
Alex Cintron grounds out sharply, second baseman Mark Loretta to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 10TH B:1 S:3 O:2
Brian Anderson called out on strikes.

Bottom 10TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Scott Podsednik singles on a fly ball to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 10TH B:1 S:1 O:3
Tadahito Iguchi grounds out, third baseman Mike Lowell to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 10TH

Top 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Alex Cintron remains in the game as the shortstop.

Top 11TH B:1 S:0 O:0
Mike Lowell singles on a line drive to center fielder Brian Anderson.

Top 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Willie Harris replaces Mike Lowell.

Top 11TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Coco Crisp out on a sacrifice bunt, first baseman Paul Konerko to second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. Willie Harris to 2nd.

Top 11TH B:0 S:3 O:2
Alex Gonzalez strikes out swinging. Willie Harris steals (6) 3rd base.

Top 11TH B:4 S:2 O:2
Kevin Youkilis walks.

Top 11TH B:1 S:1 O:2
With Mark Loretta batting, Kevin Youkilis steals (5) 2nd base.

Top 11TH B:1 S:1 O:2
Mark Loretta singles on a line drive to left fielder Scott Podsednik. Willie Harris scores. Kevin Youkilis scores. Mark Loretta to 2nd on the throw.

Top 11TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Pitcher Change: Javier Vazquez replaces Bobby Jenks.

Top 11TH B:4 S:0 O:2
Javier Vazquez intentionally walks David Ortiz.

Top 11TH B:3 S:3 O:3
Manny Ramirez called out on strikes.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 11TH

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Alex Cora replaces third baseman Mike Lowell, batting 7th.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Javier Lopez replaces Jonathan Papelbon.

Bottom 11TH B:2 S:1 O:0
Jim Thome doubles (12) on a fly ball to left fielder Manny Ramirez.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Mike Timlin replaces Javier Lopez.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Paul Konerko singles on a line drive to left fielder Manny Ramirez. Jim Thome to 3rd.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Ross Gload replaces Paul Konerko.

Bottom 11TH B:1 S:2 O:0
Jermaine Dye doubles (15) on a fly ball to right fielder Trot Nixon. Jim Thome scores. Ross Gload to 3rd.

Bottom 11TH B:4 S:0 O:0
Mike Timlin intentionally walks A. J. Pierzynski.

Bottom 11TH B:1 S:2 O:1
Joe Crede lines out to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:1 O:2
Alex Cintron grounds into a force out, second baseman Mark Loretta to shortstop Alex Gonzalez. Ross Gload scores. Jermaine Dye to 3rd. A. Pierzynski out at 2nd. Alex Cintron to 1st.

Bottom 11TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Rob Mackowiak replaces Brian Anderson.

Bottom 11TH B:1 S:1 O:2
With Rob Mackowiak batting, Alex Cintron advances to 2nd on defensive indifference.

Bottom 11TH B:1 S:3 O:3
Rob Mackowiak strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 11TH

Top 12TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Ross Gload remains in the game as the first baseman.

Top 12TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive Substitution: Rob Mackowiak remains in the game as the center fielder.

Top 12TH B:1 S:0 O:1
Trot Nixon flies out softly to center fielder Rob Mackowiak.

Top 12TH B:4 S:2 O:1
Jason Varitek walks.

Top 12TH B:1 S:0 O:2
Alex Cora flies out to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

Top 12TH B:2 S:2 O:2
With Coco Crisp batting, wild pitch by Javier Vazquez, Jason Varitek to 2nd.

Top 12TH B:3 S:2 O:3
Coco Crisp flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 12TH

Bottom 12TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Craig Hansen replaces Mike Timlin.

Bottom 12TH B:1 S:1 O:0
Scott Podsednik singles on a soft fly ball to left fielder Manny Ramirez.

Bottom 12TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Tadahito Iguchi strikes out on foul tip.

Bottom 12TH B:2 S:0 O:2
Jim Thome flies out to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 12TH B:1 S:1 O:2
With Ross Gload batting, Scott Podsednik steals (29) 2nd base.

Bottom 12TH B:3 S:3 O:3
Ross Gload strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 12TH

Top 13TH B:3 S:2 O:0
Alex Gonzalez doubles (13) on a fly ball to center fielder Rob Mackowiak.

Top 13TH B:0 S:3 O:1
Kevin Youkilis strikes out swinging.

Top 13TH B:1 S:0 O:1
Mark Loretta hit by pitch.

Top 13TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Pitcher Change: Matt Thornton replaces Javier Vazquez.

Top 13TH B:0 S:0 O:2
David Ortiz grounds out, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to first baseman Ross Gload. Alex Gonzalez to 3rd. Mark Loretta to 2nd.

Top 13TH B:4 S:0 O:2
Matt Thornton intentionally walks Manny Ramirez.

Top 13TH B:0 S:3 O:3
Trot Nixon strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 13TH

Bottom 13TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Julian Tavarez replaces Craig Hansen.

Bottom 13TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Jermaine Dye strikes out swinging.

Bottom 13TH B:0 S:0 O:2
A. J. Pierzynski grounds out softly, pitcher Julian Tavarez to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 13TH B:3 S:1 O:3
Joe Crede grounds out, shortstop Alex Gonzalez to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 13TH

Top 14TH B:1 S:3 O:1
Jason Varitek strikes out swinging.

Top 14TH B:0 S:3 O:2
Alex Cora strikes out swinging.

Top 14TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Coco Crisp doubles (8) on a line drive to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

Top 14TH B:0 S:0 O:2
Pitcher Change: Brandon McCarthy replaces Matt Thornton.

Top 14TH B:1 S:3 O:3
Alex Gonzalez strikes out swinging.

--------------------------- END 14TH

Top 15TH B:2 S:1 O:1
Kevin Youkilis flies out to center fielder Rob Mackowiak.

Top 15TH B:0 S:2 O:2
Mark Loretta grounds out, pitcher Brandon McCarthy to first baseman Ross Gload.

Top 15TH B:1 S:1 O:3
David Ortiz lines out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 15TH

Bottom 15TH B:4 S:1 O:0
Tadahito Iguchi walks.

Bottom 15TH B:2 S:1 O:1
Jim Thome grounds into a force out, first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third baseman Alex Cora. Tadahito Iguchi out at 2nd. Jim Thome to 1st.

Bottom 15TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Pablo Ozuna replaces Jim Thome.

Bottom 15TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Ross Gload grounds into double play, second baseman Mark Loretta to shortstop Alex Gonzalez to first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Pablo Ozuna out at 2nd.

--------------------------- END 15TH

Top 16TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Defensive switch from designated hitter to designated hitter for Pablo Ozuna.

Top 16TH B:1 S:0 O:1
Manny Ramirez flies out to center fielder Rob Mackowiak.

Top 16TH B:2 S:0 O:2
Trot Nixon grounds out, third baseman Joe Crede to first baseman Ross Gload.

Top 16TH B:0 S:0 O:3
Jason Varitek grounds out, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi to first baseman Ross Gload.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 16TH

Bottom 16TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Jermaine Dye strikes out swinging.

Bottom 16TH B:1 S:0 O:2
A. J. Pierzynski flies out to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 16TH B:2 S:0 O:2
Joe Crede doubles (18) on a line drive to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 16TH B:1 S:0 O:3
Alex Cintron grounds out to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

--------------------------- END 16TH

Top 17TH B:1 S:2 O:1
Alex Cora pops out to shortstop Alex Cintron.

Top 17TH B:2 S:1 O:2
Coco Crisp pops out to shortstop Alex Cintron.

Top 17TH B:4 S:2 O:2
Alex Gonzalez walks.

Top 17TH B:2 S:2 O:3
Kevin Youkilis lines out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 17TH

Bottom 17TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Rudy Seanez replaces Julian Tavarez.

Bottom 17TH B:0 S:1 O:0
Rob Mackowiak singles on a ground ball to right fielder Trot Nixon.

Bottom 17TH B:4 S:0 O:0
Scott Podsednik walks. Rob Mackowiak to 2nd.

Bottom 17TH B:2 S:2 O:1
Tadahito Iguchi lines out to pitcher Rudy Seanez.

Bottom 17TH B:0 S:1 O:3
Pablo Ozuna grounds into double play, third baseman Alex Cora to first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Rob Mackowiak out at 3rd.

--------------------------- END 17TH

Top 18TH B:1 S:2 O:0
Mark Loretta singles on a ground ball to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

Top 18TH B:2 S:0 O:2
David Ortiz grounds into double play, pitcher Brandon McCarthy to third baseman Joe Crede to first baseman Ross Gload. Mark Loretta out at 2nd.

Top 18TH B:3 S:2 O:3
Manny Ramirez lines out to left fielder Scott Podsednik.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 18TH

Bottom 18TH B:1 S:2 O:1
Ross Gload grounds out to first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Bottom 18TH B:0 S:1 O:2
Jermaine Dye flies out to right fielder Trot Nixon in foul territory.

Bottom 18TH B:1 S:3 O:3
A. J. Pierzynski called out on strikes.

--------------------------- END 18TH

Top 19TH B:0 S:0 O:0
Pitcher Change: Cliff Politte replaces Brandon McCarthy.

Top 19TH B:2 S:3 O:1
Trot Nixon strikes out swinging.

Top 19TH B:1 S:2 O:2
Jason Varitek lines out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

Top 19TH B:0 S:0 O:3
Alex Cora flies out to right fielder Jermaine Dye.

--------------------------- MIDDLE 19TH

Bottom 19TH B:1 S:1 O:1
Joe Crede pops out to first baseman Kevin Youkilis in foul territory.

Bottom 19TH B:0 S:1 O:1
Alex Cintron singles on a line drive to center fielder Coco Crisp.

Bottom 19TH B:1 S:1 O:1
Rob Mackowiak singles on a soft ground ball to third baseman Alex Cora. Alex Cintron to 2nd.

Bottom 19TH B:2 S:0 O:1
Scott Podsednik singles on a soft line drive to left fielder Manny Ramirez. Alex Cintron to 3rd. Rob Mackowiak to 2nd.

Bottom 19TH B:2 S:2 O:1
Tadahito Iguchi singles on a ground ball to left fielder Manny Ramirez. Alex Cintron scores. Rob Mackowiak to 3rd. Scott Podsednik to 2nd.

Can't talk much about the game - the sun and heat got to me. I was just too uncomfortable.. and I don't deal with it too well. Walking up the aisle to get to the main concourse, by the time I'm at the top, I'm getting tunnel vision, a little tingly... yeah, the heat is BAD. probably didn't hydrate very well.

We had two girls next to us that flew in from Boston for today's game. This series has been a big series for Boston fans to show up here and root for their team. LOTS of them.

Every single one of them are nice people, following their team...

Rather have 10 of these people in seats around me for this series than have ONE Cub fan for the Cubs series. Totally different type of fans. Bostonians are SOOooo much classier..

(Boxscore)

Well, the weather is certainly NOT as nice as yesterday...

And, oh God, the game wasn't a good as yesterday (for 7 innings)...

And, oh God why, we had MORE idiots sitting near us. This time it's 4 long-hairs across the aisle from us. LOUD and DRUNK... I got beer spilled on me as the guy on the aisle let his buddies out to get more beers and threw his beer at one of them.

They weren't swearing like the guys yesterday - they're just loud and obnoxious, not paying attention to the game... like yesterday... the guy on the aisle, who has a stack of 6 empty beer cups in his hand stands up and proclaims "And I'm driving these guys home!". They ogle and heckle the women that walk and down the aisles, but not as bad as the guys were yesterday, who were falling out of their seats looking at the girl's asses as they walked up the aisle.

Great.

So, I wander over to Customer Service - only tonight they take the info but didn't act on it.

The game? We're losing 9-2 after the 7th. Javier Vazquez gave up all 9, all earned. Oh, and it started to rain. Drunk guys are heckling the people leaving. In the middle of the 8th... and after two days of crappy fans and now rain along with getting our asses handed to us by Houston... Carol and I just looked at each other and...we left.

As we walked to the car in Lot A, we heard the crowd.. who had been cranked-up since we left. We looked across the street and saw the fireworks being launched from the scaffolding in the player's lot. Iguchi had hit a 3 run homer... and we ran to the car to put the radio on... We listened to the game all the way home... Iguchi hits a grand slam and all of a sudden, the score is tied. TIED. We came back from a 7-run deficit and in two innings TIE the game.

We got home in no time... and watched the rest of the game in HD from ESPN... and it took 13 innings for McCarthy to give up a triple and a single... and we didn't come back.

What a series! Unbelievable playing going on!

(Boxscore)

What a GORGEOUS DAY today. Yes THIS is the best weather we've had for a game this year.

And what a game it was...

First off - this Interleague game was being billed as a rematch for the World Series. We had beaten Houston 4-0 in the series becoming World Champions and here we are again.

Jon Garland had another bad outing and we were losing 5-1 in the 7th. Then in the bottom of the 7th:

Alex Cintron strikes out swinging. Jim Thome walks. Paul Konerko singles on a line drive to left field (Jim Thome to 2nd). Jermaine Dye singles on a soft fly ball to right field (Jim Thome to 3rd, Paul Konerko to 2nd).

And here's where a strange coincidence happens: Chad Qualls comes in replacing starter Taylor Buchholz.

Chad Qualls.

Flashback to last October...

World series game 2... Astros are winning 4-2... Bottom of the 7th... bases loaded... Chad Qualls is brought in to relieve Dan Wheeler...

One pitch is thrown to Paul Konerko - Grand Slam.

Flash forward to today:

One pitch is thrown to Joe Crede - Grand Slam.

We win the game in the bottom of the 10th and it's the best comeback finish I've seen in a while.

Unfortunately for Carol and I, it was one of the worst games we have attended, because of two ass***** the were sitting in front of us, drinking beer they smuggled in (in cans), drinking tequila (was wondering why they were SO anxious to see the margarita vendor) heckled/whistled/drooled over every single young female walking up or down the aisle, "prank calling" vendors (yell for the vendor when their back is turned and pretend they didn't call), swearing, (with a row of kids behind me where the oldest looked 6)... I couldn't take it anymore and went to Customer Service and had security called. They issued a warning to them, took away empty beer cans. All I heard was bitching between the two of them when I got back to my seat, with the asswipes talking loud enough in conversation to make sure I heard, branding me as a "Narc" instead of talking to their face, etc. they get up and leave... only to have the audacity to come back a few innings later and start-up again with the talking. Louder than before. And now, they start talking about fat chicks referring to Carol - even to the point of calling "Soooooey" and that was it... I leaned into them and got in their face. They tried to have a comeback, but just got up and left, never to return.

The security detail was great - I had talked to them at the top of the stairs while they were still dealing with the guys after I had them called (security was already there by the time I got back to my section after I went to customer service). Nice guys. Found out later from one of them that the had their identification and that a letter would go to the season ticketholder of those seats telling them not to sell tickets to to them for any future games.

It still got me pissed and angry. And, even though it was a great game, it was IMPOSSIBLE to get past the issues and enjoy the game.

(Boxscore)

Weather: sucked

People sitting around us: sucked

Freddie Garcia: sucked

Yes, we sucked on National Television (the game was moved to 7pm to be ESPN's Sunday Night game).

Freddie Garcia was terrible. 5 2/3 innings, 9 hits, 8 earned runs, 4 walks, 3 homeruns.

The groans and booing of the crowd was spectacular. UNTIL...

Bottom of the 9th. We're losing 10-2. The park had emptied out, inning by inning, until a handful of people are left in our section. I said yesterday that I hadn't felt this excited at a game for a while. Forget it - this ninth inning was unbelievable, and yet I felt myself believing! In a nut shell - 6 runs in the 9th including a 3-run homer by Brian Anderson, but we didn't make it as Pablo Ozuna - the potential tying run - flies out.

Wow. Excitement. Drama. Desperation. The boys didn't give up. they just didn't make it.

(Boxscore)

I feel that this year we hit the White Sox Weather Curse. This happened a few years ago - if the White Sox were in town for the weekend, the weather for said weekend is going to suck.

Welcome to the White Sox Weather Curse.

It rained for about 10 hours over night, and the skies were still dark, cold, and dreary by the time we hit the road for the early-start game (Fox game - 12:15pm start). The giveaway promotion was beach towels (Sponsored by Hawaiian Tropic and Walgreen's). The customer service people wore leis. They must have had some big plans for Beach Day. We went to the Stadium club to avoid the weather. But, by the time we got upstairs, you could see blue skies in the distance. We wound up taking our seats and watching the game downstairs (AFTER having lunch in the Stadium Club bar).

The team struggled through the game, down 1-0 since the first. They go up 2-0 in the 6th. We get on the board in the 6th, scoring on a double play. We tie the game in the 8th, and now we go into extra innings. Top of the 11th, Cleveland takes the lead on a homer by Victor Martinez. Well, you get this feeling that that's it - we're not coming back.

Wrong.

It's all solid hits, moving guys around, tyeing the game, and eventually, scoring the winning run.

I haven't felt this great at a game in a long time - cheering on the team, going nuts with each hit. It didn't matter that the weather sucked.

It's supposed to get better tomorrow.

(Boxscore)

Wow! This must be THE BEST day that we had for a baseball game this year! Gorgeous! Sunny - 70's, light breeze.... wonderful!!

The game sucked.

We're in such a crappy slump, and now watching these idiots out in the field... I don't even want to talk about the game...

(Boxscore)

Well... at least we took the series... The weather was crap... low 50's in the sun and a cold breeze, so when the shade moved over the section, it was hell...

We played poorly today, and I blame the defense. Jose Contreras came off the DL and pitched, but he gave up 4 runs (2 were inherited by Neal Cotts, who got tagged with a Blown Save and the Loss), and things just imploded. We had two errors and the key play should have been scored as the 3rd error but wasn't when Uribe threw to Konerko to end a double play in the 8th and threw too low, skipping past Paulie. We would have been out of the inning and on our way to a sweep. And all I wanted to see is for our boys to get into Carlos Zambrano's head and mess with him, and they sort of did, thanks to A.J. (again - talk about a lightning rod...)

The team wore 1906 "throw back" uniforms - the year of the White Sox - Cubs World Series. I think, if I remember correctly, "throw back" uniforms are bad luck for this team...

(Boxscore)

Goegeous day for baseball.

Gorgeous day for a fight, as well.

Bottom of the 2nd, no score, 1 out, bases loaded. Brian Anderson hits into a fly-out in Left Field. A.J. Piersinski, on third base, tags up and rnd home. Cubs catcher Michael Barret blocks the plate - without having the ball - and A.J. bowls him over. They both go flying. A.J. rolls over, slaps the plate and gets up. Now, here where it get's odd. Barret gets up. A.J. says he going after his helmet that's laying behind the plate and sort of turn his back to Barret as he passes. Barret bear-hugs him, says "I didn't have the ball, bitch, hauls off and punches A.J. in the chin.

Benches cleared. Bullpens cleared. Anderson after running to first, is now by the plate, taking out John Mabry, the Cubs' first baseman. Bodies everywhere. Barret, Anderson, Mabry and - for some reason A.J. - are all ejected.

Game back on - Rich Hill walks te bases loaded. Tadahito Iguchi - Grand Slam.

We now have 5 runs on 2 hits.

After all of these years, we finally have a fight between these two teams.

And - according to the analysts, it's all Barret's fault. We're waiting for fines/suspensions from the league.

(Boxscore)

OK, I think we've figured out the parking situation for us newbie Red Coupon people. It seems like the preferable lot is Lot A which is where the Bus Parking is, which is the advantage. After the game, instead of going out the way you came in, you use the Bus Entrance/Exit in the "front" of the lot and you get dumped out onto one-way south Wentworth, before 35th Street - perfect for making a left onto 35th to go over the bridge and get right on the Dan Ryan.

The weather was about the same as last night - of course we were sitting in the direct sun until about 2:10. The temperature at game time was 64°, much better than last night. It was also the sixth sell-out of the season (38,870). We're still not getting used to all of these people around us. There used to be a time where we could "stretch out" a bit during a game. Now, it's shoulder to shoulder, every row filled. No room to stretch your legs, put your arm on the seat next to you. Ah, those were the days... The Price of Success....

Mark Buehrle threw way too many pitches. He threw 22 in the first, and was having trouble with location, with everything staying "up". (He wound up going through 6 innings, throwing 114 pitches (71 strikes) with 4 strikeouts, but 2 runs on 7 hits.

Joe Crede was involved in two odd plays: 1) In the forth, he hits a drive deep to left-center. The centerfielder (Kerry Robinson) totally misplays the ball and jumps at the wall. The second base umpire sees the ball go over the wall, and calls a home run (the fireworks guy, quick on the trigger, sets-off the scoreboard fireworks). I just happen to be on the center field deck, below the Fan Deck. The guy standing next to me says it's not a homerun. Sure enough, what had happened, is that the ball actually hit the warning track and bounced over the wall. Nobody saw the ball hit the track, everybody was watching Robinson hit the wall and the ball going over. After a long umpire discussion, they called Crede back out of the dugout to take his place on Second, because they changed their call to a Ground Rule Double (the correct call). 2) It's the bottom of the 8th, the game is tied 2-2. Jim Thome is on first (after a flyball to center was dropped in a diving attempt by Kerry Robinson). Paul Konerko is intentionally walked to get to Crede. Crede waited for his pitch and blooped a single to left, scoring Thome as the go-ahead run that was the game-winning run.

Our record now goes to 22-9, best record in all of baseball, first in the AL West and 2½ games in front of the Detroit Tigers (who have tailed us must of this young season).

(Boxscore)

Another crappy weather night - it was 52º at gametime, windy, and it just went down from there. A bit uncomfortable.

What a game, though. Javier Vazquez had No-Hitter through 5. In his last start, he no-hit the Royals through 7.

Jim Thome had another homerun, his 13th. I love being at the game to watch the ball fly. You don't get a sense of the speed on TV. They get out in a hurry, hardly without an arc to its flight.

The 7-8-9 spots of the order need some individual hitting instruction: Ross Gload - .167 (OK, what he really needs is playing time - this is with 18 at bats), Juan Uribe - 161, Brian Anderson - .160 (even though Anderson was 2-for-4 with his 3rd homerun).

Another "sellout" - 38,593 (though I don't know what a sellout really is at the park anymore. I keep hearing the word "sellout" and the attendance would vary by 100-200. And of course, that's paid. I wish they would go back to the days of "turnstile".

(Boxscore)

OK, yeah, great game. We sweep the series from the Twins. Nancy Faust is back. The weather is great. Everything's right with the world.

Let's start at the top.

Carol and I are absolutely pissed-off at today's promotional item. It was listed as a Miniature stadium. What it was was a cardboard display stand from the Chicago Sun-Times. A poor cardboard replica of U.S. Cellular Field, that has spots to collect miniature baseballs that have pictures of the players on them. Collect? Why, yes - you have to purchase a Sun-Times and each day they have a coupon that you use to go to White Hen or some other store and pay $2.99 for the player/ball of the day. Since when does the team foist a "promotion" where you have to pay money - a lot by the time you get all the balls - to promote a newspaper? Normally, the promotion is a giveaway, and not something you have to pay for to enjoy. When I heard "Miniature Ballpark" I thought it was like a cheap version of the miniature sculpted ballparks that are collectibles. But cardboard? that is a poor replica and purchase stuff to put in it? This is crazy. Carol & I decide to "boycott" and not accept the promotional item at the gate.

Traffic was fine and we got there in good time.

The sun is out, and we're wearing our sunglasses. We go from sunlight into the darkness of the gate area. We go into Gate 5, and I'm first through the turnstile. I say "no thanks" when offered the "miniature ballpark" and the customer service rep thinks I'm nuts. I turnaround and see Carol go through the turnstile.

In the "dark" she turns and trips over two stacked boxes of cardboard promotions, and hits the concrete ground hard on her right knee.

Now - I hadn't mentioned this earlier, but when Carol was cleaning the "Second Bedroom" earlier this week, she tripped over some cables and - you guessed it - hit the floor hard with her right knee. It's hurt her all week. The bruises had just popped-up over the leg, from knee down to the side of her foot.

So, here she is on the ground behind the turnstiles of Gate 5 after injuring the same knee. She stayed there for a while. We finally heard that First Aid was called. She felt the need to get up and move and un-block the turnstile so people can get through. A customer service rep says there a bench right around the corner that she can sit at. What we find out is that it's a series of picnic tables more than 200 feet away. We hobble over there and Caro sits down. Another customer service rep comes over to admonish us "You know you weren't supposed to move, you were supposed to stay there". We let her know 1) don't yell at us, and 2) another rep told us to come out here to relax. A minute or so later a guy in white trots up from the Medical Staff, followed by a golf cart with two other guys. One guy asks me for her information, the other talks to Carol about the fall and her pain.

Carol decide to go to First Aid to get ice. She decides to go by herself (admittedly, there's no room in the golf cart for me) so she takes her ticket and gives my all her stuff. She takes off in the cart, I go up the escalator and go to our seats. She eventually shows up at the end of the first inning. All she had was ice on the knew - no Advil or Tylenol, and not feeling like she was really taken care of by the medical staff.

She's going to have to get this looked at tomorrow.

Nice way to try and watch a game when people have been actually showing up and sitting around us! We're not used to this and we've been able to spread out a little and relax. Now, when Carol need to stretch out a bit, she can't.

(Boxscore)

What a great day for our first night game! It was a little on the cool side (low 60's) and a slight breeze, but it felt great.

Traffic was horrendous - there was an accident on the Kennedy that blocked the right 3 lanes but apparently the traffic people didn't tell us what was going on, so I stayed on the Kennedy, thinking it would eventually free-up. Well it did when we passed the accident site at Kimbal - and didn't find a trace of this alleged accident. We flew the rest of the way to the park.

Not only is this our first night game, but this is our first game that started after 3:05. The significance of that? That would mean that this is our first game without organist Nancy Faust. It was weird. Before the game the Stadium crew just played more music, almost right from the JACK FM playlist. But there was these silent, almost awkward gaps when the visiting team was at bat. There was no music where there used to be, and that made me miss Nancy. I didn't believe how much she has become part of the experience of the game at U.S. Cellular Field... they played a recording of her for the 7th Inning Stretch, and no one seemed to notice... except for that empty booth behind the plate.

Another great game, another great win (we need to store those up in case we need them like last year). I almost feel that I don't want to talk about the game itself because everyone did well, You could always lookup the Boxscore.

The fireworks after the game were... the fireworks after the game. Nothing new. Tonight, they used music that was played all last season for things on the scoreboard video or just stuff heard around the park (like "Go Go White Sox", etc).

Getting out of the parking lot was a nightmare. the Dan Ryan was terrible, so we took a scenic route through downtown and caught-up with the Kennedy at Ontario.

Nice night.

(Boxscore)

Wow. As gorgeous as it was yesterday was as lousy as it was today.

We planned to spend the game in the Stadium Club because it was supposed to rain today.

And rain it did.

The game started on time. We had a good first inning - Scott Podsednik had a triple to the right field corner (it's cool when you're high above the right field corner in the Stadium Club and you see that ball coming toward you, hoping it would - as Hawk would say - "stretch" and make it over the wall). Jermaine Dye had a homer later in the inning. Jim Thome had a homer later in the 2nd (damn, he really DOES hit those balls a mile!) Freddie Garcia did much better job, even in the rain.

Yes it rained. Hard. Oh, God, hard. The first delay was in the top of the third and was 42 minutes long.

Carol and I had to get going to pickup my Mom and drive to Orland Park to my cousin Jane's for our annual family Easter get-together, so we left about 10-to-3, so we didn't see the rest of the game. We were winning and you can tell in the 5th that the umpires were stretching things quite a bit to try to get a regulation game. Apparently, though we couldn't see it because we were in the car, the field actually became unplayable. Freddie had given up 4 runs and 4 walks on 45 pitches in the top of the 5th. Thank God we had the lead.

During the game - during the first delay - I took a trip downstairs and bought another ticket for the authentic World Series Ring raffle. Found out that the winners of the raffle will get their rings in an on-field ceremony. Way cool. Could you imagine? Getting a Championship World Series ring, complete with your name engraved on it, just like a member of the team in an on-field ceremony, but as a fan?

(Boxscore)

So, we took a leisurely drive from the Sox game to the north suburbs to go to the final Chicago Wolves game of the season. (We had a lot of time to kill, even when stopping for dinner and shopping at Office Depot.)

Other than being the last game, it was also a special night - the retirement of Steve Maltais' number to the rafters. Malts played for the Wolves for the first 11 years of their franchise life (the only player to do so), so he's been a cornerstone of the team over the years. He was Captain 10 times. They had the old IHL Turner Cup on display (we won it twice during Steve's tenure) and the AHL Calder Cup (only won that one once, but think about this - 3 Championship Cup's in the franchise's first 8 years!) Before the game during warm-up, the Wolves players wore one-of-a kind No. 11 jerseys that were eventually be signed by Maltais and the player who wore it and were raffled-off.

The game was really good, like the players thought it actually meant something, which it didn't.

We were winning 5-0 in the 2nd, when at 16:29 there was an altercation. No, who are we kidding, we're talking fight - an all out, fists-flying-and-no-stopping-even-when-the-guy-falls-to-the-ice pummeling, all courtesy of Francis Lessard, a fight we haven't seen out of Frankie in years. The kind where Frankie get 2 minutes for Instigating, 5 minutes for Fighting, 10 minutes for Misconduct - Instigating and a Game misconduct - Third man in (56(d)) and another Game misconduct - Aggressor (56(a)). What a way to end the season.

From here, things deteriorated, where Houston got 2 goals in the second, then scores again in the third before we wake up and score one (shorthanded) and Houston comes back with another two and the Wolves barely win their final game of the season.

Quietly, and obviously when you saw the end of it, another retirement happened tonight. Long-time man-behind-the-wolf Jim Santee skated his last "Black Betty" as the mascot Skates during the Second Intermission.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

What a wonderful, gorgeous day for a ballgame. I've been looking for this kind of a day for a long time.

It started off pretty rough, though. The Blue Jays have only 2 guys in their lineup batting under .300. 8 pitches from Mark Buehrle in the first, and we're losing 2-0. Fortunately, Jim Thome walked and Paul Konerko hit a 2-run homer and we tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the first, and then it made everything all square and we had a ballgame again. (Thome has reached base and scored in each of the 11 games this season.) It was Paulie again in the 5th with another 2-run home run and got us the lead for good. Buehrle pitched 8 innings and retired the last 8. Bobby Jenks pitched the 9th and he earned a good save and didn't really screw up (except for a single - big deal).

The American League Championship Trophy and THE World Series Trophy are now in the window of the gift shop behind Home Plate - you can't get near the place because of all of the people trying to take pictures of the themselves with the trophy. Too bad it's behind glass that's reflecting the field or reflecting the flash of the cameras, because I didn't see a single picture that looked good.

Another big deal at the park is the raffle tickets. No the Sox Split Charity Raffle.

These are for a World Series Ring. Your own real, honest to goodness authentic World Series Players' Ring. Engraved with your name on it, even, just like everyone else. The Sox are raffling-off 3 of them (100,000 tickets at $20 each - proceeds go to White Sox Charities).

How cool would it be to have your own World Series Championship Ring for being a fan?

I guess the only other "odd" thing at the park was that guy on the outfield concourse in a speedo...

(Boxscore)

Hard to believe that the Wolves have been on a tear, winning their last 9 games in a row, struggling to make the last playoff spot.

Hard to believe...

...because they sucked tonight. You can tell they're jelling as a team, late in the season, but I think I can sum up their problems tonight in one word: passing. It was all off - no one could hit anyone wit ha pass, it was always errant... or stupid (stupidly passed to an opponent, mostly)

Hard to believe we out-shot them 36-21 and only come up with 1 goal (which was setup soooo nicely)

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

What a wonderful day.

What a crappy game.

Carol left the house at 9am and got to the park at 5 to 10, before the parking lots opened. We weren't the only ones. I've never seen lines so long before the gates opened to the park, even during the World Series - All because people wanted a Replica Championship Ring, given out to the first 20,000 fans. We must have been - at most - 100th in line to get into the Stadium Club entrance. The ran out of Rings right after us and a near riot almost started.

I can't tell you how comfortable it felt to walk back into the park again. And the park looked great. Even though our section of seats are still the old blue seats (they're that way from the dugouts to the outfield), seeing the rest of the park in dark green seats really makes the park look great.

Before the game, members of the Front Office, dressed in tuxedos (with tails) and gloves, carried onto the field the Championship Rings on silver platters. One by one, coaches, then players, were called to the center of the field to receive their rings from Commissioner Bud Selig, Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and General Manager Kenny Williams. Guys that are now playing for other teams flew in, just to receive their rings. the most memorable - Aaron Rowand. He got a huge ovation from the fans, who let him know he's missed. If anyone on that field had tears in their eyes, it was him - not to mention tears in the stands when he took the field.

The whole ceremony was so special to watch and to be there to be part of. Almost made up for not getting tickets to opening Night. Almost.

Marty Casey and the Lovehammers, fresh from touring with INXS, got a chance to play one song before the game started. Guess which one it was? Yep, "Trees".

We found a brand new food being sold at the park - it's only from a stand behind the plate - freshly made caramel corn and cheese corn (complete with mixes of both). WONDERFUL!

The game itself was terrible. Sure, Jim Thome hit another home run, but Freddie Garcia had nothing on his pitches and got rocked. He looked terrible. Our defense was poor and - at times - felt Keystone Cop-like.

It was painful to sit through and watch.

On top of it all, Gene Honda wasn't there - Tom Shaer did P.A. duties, and Nancy Faust had brought her old organ to the patk, and it sounded totally different compared to what she's sounded like in the past.

Also, we have new parking passes this year, which make us park in the lots north (A, B, C, & G) of the park instead of south (E, F & L). Well, it actually took us an hour to get out of the neighborhood. We're going to have to pay attention to traffic patterns around the park after the game.

Speaking of after the game, we went over to Janie & Gary's for a wonderful dinner.

(Boxscore)

Very good game tonight. Too bad Carol didn't go (she stayed at home "recuperating"). Hardly anybody from our "extended Wolves family" was there. Actually, I was glad Carol wasn't there because the guy that would have been sitting next to her and his 3 kids would have drove her nut. Drove me nuts. It was obvious that they never heard of nor heeded the "Wait For The Whistle" warning that's given in the announcements before the game.

Great intensity. Great swarming the puck, great defense in front of the net. They looked really good. Too bad we're still not in a playoff position. It may be the first time in franchise history that we'll miss the playoffs. Actually, Carol and I are planning on it - we didn't buy any postseason tickets this year. I mean, why? If we get there, we're not going anywhere, so why spend the money that we don't have?

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

We knew we were in trouble in the parking lot, watching people dressed-up for St. Patrick's Day pouring out of a motor coach. The team wore this year's St. Patrick's Day Jersey (which will be auctioned-off next week). I REALLY like this year's jersey.

The game was a little odd. Peoria came out very strong. Their first goal almost felt like it was a swarm that came down the ice and impossible to defend. The game was pretty physical and at least the boys seamed like they were in the game the whole way. Unfortunately, we ended regulation in a tie. Overtime was well fight but unproductive.

Then came the shootouts. I hate shootouts. I feel that our team can't defend them at all - I mean we've had six goalies this year. Their 3rd shooter was the first guy to score, and we were out when their 5th shooter scored... with nothing from us.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

Help me...

I was just here 24 hours ago... it's a ll a blur... why do I insist on following and supporting this losing team...

The biggest surprise of all, other than nobody that normally sits near us actually showed-up for the game (they were probably getting as overwhelmed as us), was that the Wolves re-signed long-time defenseman Bob Nardella, who was dressed and played tonight.

In what is becoming too familiar - starting goalie Tuomas Tarkki gave up 2 real easy goals and was replaced with Michael Garnett, who was slightly better.

It was a struggle, but the "new" team showed-up we we actually won.

Hate to say this, but even with 11,994 people there, it was nice not having Brad and Jen in front of us, letting us stretch out a bit...

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

It's been just 48 hours ago since we've been here, watching the Wolves give a typical losing performance.

Tonight, we're facing an old nemesis who used to be in our division, but now leads our conference a full 30 points ahead of us (we're 12th behind them). We don't see them as often as we used to, so this rivalry can't be in the same shape.

We score first. No big deal, we've been there before. We score again. OK, a little different. The referee tonight - Francois St. Laurent - starts calling really tacky penalties. We have 3 guys in the box, and we get through the period without giving up a goal.

The usually flat 2nd period goes halfway before the Griffins score a goal, but then we get one back. There's a lot of holding, pushing, shoving, boarding and things progress where they slowly get out of hand. Yes, the old rivalry is still there. It gets bad enough when their goalie Joey MacDonald takes down one of our guys after getting bumped into. He gets our guy on the ice and starts pummeling him in the head with his blocker.

This is really out of control, but we come out on top 5-2. How can it be that we can't beat teams that are worse than us but we beat the Conference leader? How schizophrenic is this team?

What made the experience all the worse was the guy sitting next to Carol who was frenetically jumping up and down in his seat all night and yelling odd things at the ref ("go back to Walmart" "you missed your short bus" "go back to Canada you hoser") and few obscenities along the way that made the whole section uneasy.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

First period - the boys look OK, they keep the puck in the offensive zone most of the time and just seem to control the game. We outshot them 17-9, though we were tied 1-1. Second period - totally different team shows up on ice. We still outshoot them 15-9, but now we're losing 4-1 and our starting goalie Tuomas Tarkki is replaced with Michael Garnett, who gets booed when he comes on the ice because the fans don't trust him.

We lose 5-2 and "old man" Wade Flaherty had 39 saves.

Of course, even though there was only 4321 people there, the fans that showed-up were there to torment Jimmy Roy.

Let me just say that, yes we did and this could be the last trip for Jimmy to "The Wolves Den".

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

We got to the game over a half an hour late - and we walk in to hear Wayne Messmer just doing the National Anthem - it turns out DePaul's basketball game ended later than it normally did, pushing everything out in time.

I really can't tell you what happened during the game because I can't explain the play. The team didn't really appear to be all that different, but apparently it was. They weren't quicker, they were just getting to the puck better, they were passing better, they were shooting better. How else can you explain this losing team's 8-0 shutown win? We scored on both of their goalies like we knew what we were doing. In the meantime, the Barons were barely taking shots all game. It was a pretty clean game, too. Felt like it went fast because of the lack of penalties.

HUGE crowd - 16,607 fans - the 10th largest crowd in franchise history. Has to be because of Group Sales.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

WAIT... the strangeness doesn't end there...

During the First Intermission we had a wedding on the ice. Vladimir Len, or Vlad, is an off-ice official that sits in the box below us, usually as the Penalty Timekeeper. He's marrying a fan that sits over to the left of the visitor Penalty Box, Holly. The team even had a press release about them, and it was shown on the scoreboard and broadcast as part of the game over Comcast cable.

You know - I couldn't do this. I could get married at Comiskey, but I couldn't get married at a hockey game.

Wedding Bells to Ring at Wolves Game on Feb. 25

02/13/2006

The Chicago Wolves will host an on-ice wedding during the first intermission when the team battles the Cleveland Barons at the Allstate Arena on Sat., Feb. 25, at 7 p.m.

Holly Braun, a Wolves season-ticket holder since 2001, will marry Vladimir Len, an American Hockey League off-ice official and former team season-ticket holder, in the eight-minute ceremony. Wolves season-ticket holder “Tattoo” Ron Gac (GACK), an ordained minister and tattoo artist, will make the bond official.

The Wolves will provide the newlyweds with flowers and a wedding cake, courtesy of Jewel-Osco, and a night’s stay in the Presidential Suite at the Wyndham Hotel in Rosemont.

Braun and Len – a Chicago native – met at the 1999 International Hockey League All-Star Game in Cincinnati and have been attending Wolves games together for five seasons.

The Wolves game – along with all regular-season and playoff contests – and ceremony will be televised live in the Chicago area on Comcast Cable. Log on chicagowolves.com for the channel designation in your area.

For more information or tickets to the game, call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.

Because the White Sox all of a sudden are HOT in Chicago, and season ticket sales have skyrocketed, to the point of having a standby list (if you want Post Season tickets as well). There are too many people for the seats available.

Since we're split-season, we don't get all of the games, in particular opening day. We have a Split Season plan that is just weekends only (a friggin' WONDERFUL package for watching baseball). Since Opening Day is traditionally a weekday game, we never got tickets for that game, but at some point in the pre-season, before the public could buy tickets, we got the option of buying tickets for Opening Day.

This year, Opening Day is Opening Night, Sunday night April 2, and is the actual kick-off of the baseball season - it will be the first game played anywhere, broadcast on ESPN that night.

Let's ignore the fact that this game is a SUNDAY (meaning a WEEKEND game) because this game was actually on Monday the 3rd, and ESPN and MLB asked to have it changed to Sunday. (So, because it was originally a Monday game, it doesn't qualify as a "Weekend" game for us weekend-only people).

Because of the bloat of season tickets, the White Sox did not offer us the ability to get any tickets to that game.

Today, all Season Ticket holders were able to buy single game seats for any game. We were to be emailed a special password to get into Ticketmaster website to purchase tickets after 10am. The public doesn't buy tickets until the 17th.

I logged on early and noticed that the Suite and Scout Seat Season ticket holders got an hour before we did to purchase tickets. I waited for my Password email to show up - and it NEVER did. Instead, about 10:25 I received and email from someone at the White Sox about a bogus link that was mailed-out but the passwords we were given were still OK to use.

That's when I knew i was in trouble. I immediately replied to the person on the email and got a somewhat prompt reply saying that the password was my account number.

Too late. It was an hour into our session, 2 hours after tickets were being sold this morning.

I didn't have a .

I wonder how many season ticket holders bought additional seats because they could when the rest of us schlubs never had a chance?

And if you aren't a season ticket holder? FORGET ABOUT IT. AIN'T NOTHING LEFT TO BUY.

I've been so damn excited and giddy about the team winning the World Series, especially in such convincing fashion.

But, as they say, "be careful what you wish for."

I feel that, even though I am a Season Ticket Holder, I am not being treated like one because I'm a Slit-Season guy and not a Full Season guy.

We have been treated fine for the past 10 years - but not now.

Just because we won last night, why should I believe that we could win two in a row?

Nope - can't go two in a row.

Left early again... with only 4 minutes left in the game this time, and only one goal under our belkt... which Carol & I didn't see because we had to let somebody our row while the game was in play.

Listen and remember one thing: "WAIT FOR THE WHISTLE"! Don't stand up while play is going on - it's dangerous!

Big crowd - 11,804 watched the loss.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

Oh, God.

Nine games out of the last playoff birth...

The team has NEVER missed a playoff, they've been that good.

I guess we got spoiled.

This team SUCKS. It's painful to watch. there's only a glimpse every so often of what these guys can do. It's not just the Atlanta draft picks, even the non-Atlanta Wolves-Contract players suck. We don't have a goalie worth a damn.And we've had SIX of them!

I stay to watch my movies (open to closing credits), I stay to watch my sporting events.

We left during the second intermission and missed no scoring (big surprise!)

We're straying from the team. Give us hope! Show us something! Don't play so desperate!

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

We're at that point in the Season where the Chicago Wolves come up with a special jersey to wear for 3 home games so they can be auctioned-off for charity. This year is a Mardi Gras themed jersey to benefit the Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina relief. It's odd seeing the team in yellow. Somehow I've accepted their St. Patrick's Day jerseys as their fourth jersey (after the Maroon, White, and alternate Black jerseys). The auction doesn't happen until tomorrow, so any of the prices I saw today make no difference to tomorrow. The jerseys were all over $500 and the top-end for today was $1,000. you could expect that all to at least double tomorrow.

Let's just say that they color of the jerseys makes no difference to the performance on the ice. 6:21 into the First period we were already losing 3-0, on 4 shots (the first shot went off the post. Michael Garnett was terrible and was pulled for Adam Berkhoel. And the went on a tear of 4 goals into the 2nd. By the end of the 2nd, the Admirals had tied it and we never came back, losing 6-4 (though I thought that Milwaukee's last shot of the game came before the buzzer as they shot into our empty net and they'd make it 7-4, but I guess it was too late.)

I have to tell you, the team is so bad it's making Carol re-think season tickets for next year. She's just not that interested. I totally understand why. I'm surprised there's been as many people to the games as there have been.

It's an inferior product that they're putting out there for the first time in franchise history. We suck, We're not getting consistency and not showing improvement.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

We looked bad at the beginning of the game - Peoria was fast and aggressive, passed the puck and handled the puck very well. By 4:09 in the first, we were already down 2-0.

Then, the most remarkable thing happened.

We started scoring.

And never stopped.

We set a franchise record for goals in a game (11) and goals in a period (7 in the 2nd Period).

Strange coincidences permeated the game - like our 7th goal was by #7 Mark Popovic, the 8th goal was by #8 Pat Dwyer and our 10th goal was by #10 Ramzi Abid. Weird!

Now how about this - 11 goals on 22 shots?!?!? Both teams went through two goaltenders (I think we did just to give them some rest, since we so far in the lead)

And we got called for Too Many Men on the Ice THREE TIMES!

Now, it didn't hurt that in the 2nd at 14:58 Rocky Thompson went after Billy Tibbetts and gave us a power play for some time after getting 2 minutes for Roughing, 2 minutes for Instigating, 5 minutes for Fighting, a 10 minutes Misconduct - Instigating and a Game misconduct - Aggressor (56(a)). We only got one Power Play goal during that time - our major downfall of the past season(s).

This was one for the record books, one to experience.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

Outshot 40-30.

Referee Bob Langdon called a very uneven game. We were up 3-1 in the 3rd (Tuomas Tarkki actually looked great), and then all of a sudden were called for some cheap penalties and the Bears got back into the game and tied it 3-3.

In overtime, Langdon calls Kip Miller for Holding the Stick (which we're now dubbing the Brokeback Mountain penalty) in Kip Miller at 3:19 into overtime, and the Bears score 4:32 into overtime. The Wolves went nuts, pitching and hollering at Langdon. According the the scoresheet, the Bench got a 10-minute Gross misconduct at the end of the game.

REALLY SCARY part of the game - sometime during the 3rd, one of the Bears got hit in the throat. He went don in front of his net, struggled to get to his feet, coasted back to the bench and collapsed in the bench. Everything else happened pretty quickly. A doctor cam onto the ice and was escorted to the bench. Paramedics and police brought out a gurney. Players and coaches stood in front of the bench door, making "snow" with their skates on the ice. (I think they were applying it to the guy's throat). He eventually stood-up and you could see that his throat was really red and wet.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

9-11-1-3, 22pts, in 6th place in the division, 20 points behind the first place Aeros, only 1 point ahead of the last place Rampage. 6 different goaltenders, Goals Against averages between 1.47 and .4.41

WE SUCK

Nice to see our Power Play is still missing after many years - 1 / 8.

Lackluster. Unmotivated.

The Big Deal for this game was supposed to be Bobby Hull. Let's just say expectations weren't managed well. Did he skate in the warmups? No. He dropped the Ceremonial First Puck, then retired to the Budweiser bar, where he stayed for the rest of the game yo sign autographs. There was a lot of Hull memorabilia that was Silent Auctioned to raise money for Wolves' charities.

Somehow, we expected more. Just like our team.

Update: WOW. Holy Crap. I've heard stories about Bobbie Hull signing autographs for his fans, that he wouldn't stop until everybody was satisfied. Say what you want about the guy, but he finished signing everything at 1:30 A.M.!

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

Wolves "Sign" a Hull of a Player
11/25/2005

The Chicago Wolves have “signed” National Hockey League Hall-of-Fame left wing BOBBY HULL. He will be in uniform when the Wolves host the Milwaukee Admirals at the Allstate Arena on Sat., Dec. 17, at 7 p.m.

“I’m proud to be with the Wolves,” said HULL. “They’re a part of Chicago and I’m pleased to be back because it’s the greatest city in the world with the greatest sports fans in the world. With the new rules today, maybe I could score 25 goals – of course I’ll be 67 in January.”

The 66-year-old forward amassed 610 goals and 1,170 points in 1,063 NHL games spanning 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (1957-1972), Winnipeg Jets (1979-1980) and Hartford Whalers (1979-1980). He also collected 62 goals and 129 points in 119 playoff games, which includes helping the Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Championship.

HULL also spent seven seasons in the World Hockey Association with Winnipeg (1972-1979), registering 303 goals and 638 points in 411 contests.

The Pointe Anne, Ontario, native was recognized twice as the NHL’s most valuable player (1964-65 and 1965-66), captured three league scoring titles (1959-60, 1961-62 and 1965-66) and garnered one Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for combining sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability (1965-66).

“Our scouts have loved this guy since the ‘50s. He’s a young 66, and with the new rules, we expect him to light it up like never before,” said Wolves General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. “It should be a treat for our fans to see a legend like No. 9 at the Allstate Arena on Dec. 17. If this works out, I may have to give Guy Lafleur, Glenn Hall and Gordie Howe a buzz.”

The day before Thanksgiving and I'm at a hockey game alone - Carol is at home getting ready for tomorrow.

Before the game we were all talking about a sheet that was included with all of the media packages - MEDIA ALERT - WOLVES TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR SIGNING FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25 9:45 AM. What the hell was that going to be about?

The game started smooth - we had the same ref as Saturday - Scott Hoberg - who didn't call anything and just let the guys play. Tonight - different story.

At 15:21 into the First, we're winning 1 to nothing when an altercation happened against the boards on our side (boarding). Next thing we know, a couple of fights broke out. Now, to all of us in the crowd (OK, not-so-crowd - 6,612) this was just a fight - nothing odd, nothing malicious, nothing to write home about. Hoberg is taking forever calling the penalties. In fact, later, after we had seen the entire off-ice officials that were working in the scoring booth laughing at Hoberg, we found out that Hoberg changed his mind four times.

So what came of this?

How about 2 minutes for Instigating, 5 minutes for Fighting, 10 minutes Misconduct - Instigating.

It doesn't stop there - here's the rest:5 minutes for Fighting and a Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (56(f)); 5 minutes for Fighting and a Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (56(f)); 5 minutes for Fighting; 5 minutes for Fighting and a Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (56(f)); 2 minutes for Boarding, 5 minutes for Fighting and a Game misconduct - Secondary altercation (56(f)).

For the rest of the period and all of the 2nd, it felt like there was always somebody in the Penalty Box. The 3rd started the same way and then everything was fine until the last 4 minutes where there were more odd penalties, nothing near as severe that we had in the First, but this guy would call nothing and then wake-up and start calling things. Very uneven. Total penalty minutes for both teams: 151 minutes

The play is starting to pickup. We just may not finish in last place this year...

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

We're 4-6, 6th in a 7 team division.

The team sucks.

But somehow tonight, with a packed house of 14,538 the boys actually won. And, in the First Period, looked pretty good. In fact I thought it looked like we could easily score against Milwaukee. I shouldn't have said that as Milwaukee quickly tied the game. The second period was bad. The third had a great start (which we were looking for to see what the team was made of).

Seems like we have a "goalie-du-jour", with goalies being signed, sent up, sent down, and released. It's a revolving door. Brad said that that last night the goalie (same as tonight Tuomas Tarkki) had his first AHL game - and was throwing-up in the locker room ahead of the game.

The big comment among the "regulars": "Who are these guys?" It's such a brand new team with new faces every week - it's hard to root for guys you don't know.

(Boxscore - Gamesheet)

The big positive move - picking up the option on Cliff Politte for $1.2 million

The team declined the 2006 option on designated hitter Carl Everett, buying him out at $500,000 instead of his $5 million option. So he's the first guaranteed to go (and, you know, I'm OK with that).

The first Free Agent move was actually Paul Konerko last Thursday (the Sox have exclusive financial negotiating rights to Konerko through Nov. 10, but you know he's going to test the waters and God knows what kind of offers he's going to get. PRIORITY, people, let's get ready to handle getting this guy back), but another happened quietly - Geoff Blum. Both guys have said they want to return to the Sox.

Frank Thomas exercised his $10 million player option for 2006 (but the team has five days to elect to give him a $3.5 million buyout and people believe that's going to happen because of his ankle fractures).

We've got arbitration coming up for Jon Garland, A.J. Pierzynski , and Joe Crede so there's going to be more money there.

Oh, then we have the incentive bonuses: Jon Garland and Mark Buehrle can earn at least $60,000 if they finished no lower than fifth in the American League Cy Young Award voting (to be announced Nov. 8).

Oh, let's bring up something that caught my attention: The Curse of 1906

This is a Chicago-wide baseball curse. Chicago has not celebrated a postseason baseball series championship of any kind on its own soil. Didn't happen this year (ALDS was won in Boston, ALCS in Anaheim and the World Series in Houston). In 2003 the Cubs won the NLDS in Atlanta.

In 1906 it HAD to be a Chicago team: the Sox topped the Cubs at South Side Park in Game 6 of the World Series.

Great, just what the city needs, another curse.